


Beware Of Who You Call A King

by Chechilia



Series: Casino Royale [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Casinos and gambling, Guns, M/M, Mafias, Mentions of Violence, POV Outsider, Poker, Threats of Rape/Non-Con
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-23
Updated: 2017-09-23
Packaged: 2019-01-04 14:46:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 26,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12170997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chechilia/pseuds/Chechilia
Summary: Valiant Serclier is a powerful man. He owns the Western Islands, controls the Sea, and even oversees the traffic on the coasts of Albion.Yet, Arthur Pendragon refuses to acknowledge him. This is why, when his spy and lover mysteriously disappears, Valiant chooses to confront Arthur Pendragon himself.Because if there is one thing he wants, it's to bring the King of Camelot to his knees.Little does he know that in the very heart of Albion, its lights reaching even the highest skies,The Dragon is waiting.





	Beware Of Who You Call A King

**Author's Note:**

> I finally managed to finish this one ! I am so proud and excited. This is the longest thing I've written so far, I can't wait to see what you'll think of it. I truly hope you'll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. All comments are welcome !
> 
> Additional Warnings : The story is solely written in Valiant's point of view. As you already know, Valiant isn't the most gentle of characters : there is, in the text, several mentions of violence, of the traffic of drugs and weapons, but most importantly one quite graphic rape threat/fantasy. No actual non-con occur in the story, and no one is injured on-screen either.
> 
> Also, I'm adding one very minor but spoilery warning in the end notes.

The world was almost silent as the sleek black car traveled along the road leading to Camelot, the purring of its engine a mere whisper into the night. The crescent moon had already risen high above the trees, its shape like the twisted smile of a feral cat, and the stars scattered around it were twinkling like fireflies.

Comfortably settled in the backseat, Valiant Serclier was thoughtfully looking out the window, despite the eerie glow of the headlights being barely enough to see by. Gently caressing the signet ring he wore on his thumb, he relished in the illusion of privacy that neither his driver nor his bodyguard would dream of shattering, least they ended up dead in some back alley, forgotten from the world and the very man they had dared to upset.

Wronging the Knight of the Western Sea was, after all, a mortal offense.

Valiant wasn't a barbaric man, but he had never be known to be merciful, either. Ever since he had started his ascent in the mafia of the Western Islands, he had never hesitated to pull the trigger on anyone who had tried to defy him, earning as such his peer's esteem. The fact that a fair amount of them both respected and feared him as a leader was a source of endless pride for Valiant, even more so considering how low he had once been in the chain of command.

Starting his business as a small drug dealer, he had quickly developed his skills into the traffic of stolen goods, and, later, the traffic of weapons. Soon, his more than generous death count had allowed him to climb his way up the chain of command, expending his territory until, one day, he had taken down the leader of the mafia itself - shooting him in the chest and dumping his body in the sea.

Valiant had then gained full control over the Islands, the leader's surrender sealed in blood.

The first thing he had done after getting rid of his predecessor had been cleaning up his ranks : he couldn't afford having anyone he didn't trust working for him. Absolute loyalty was mandatory - as such, many had perished in the months following the former mafia leader's death, and the ones who hadn't and of whom Valiant wasn't certain had been put under tight surveillance, asserting Valiant that his claim on the Islands would remain unchallenged.

Despite what many had hoped, however, his thirst for power hadn't stopped there. The second thing Valiant had done after conquering the Islands had been to further expand his territory. It was his associate slash protegee slash occasional lover, Ewan, who had whispered the idea in his ear one night. The latter, a young man who'd become a drug dealer in the vain hope of paying for his mother's cancer's treatment, was Valiant's most loyal handman - before even Delvin, his second in command - and the only man to ever share his bed on a regular basis.

It had happened during one of their nights together. Ewan and him had been fucking wildly in Valiant's bedroom, sweat gliding on their body, before they had collapsed, exhausted, on the sheets. It was then, in the aftermath, that Valiant had confided in Ewan, like he so rarely did. He had admitted wanting more than what he possessed, dreams of conquest keeping him up at night, and Ewan had quieted down, thinking, before suggesting his idea - his brilliant, brilliant idea :

_" Valiant, if the Western Islands aren't enough, why not conquering the sea, too ? "_

The driver of the car flinched when he caught sight of Valiant's smirk in the rearview mirror, unable to hide his fear at the expression. Valiant only smiled wider in reaction, as he couldn't blame his driver for being scared - he had been told more than once that the amused twist of his lips was nothing short of terrifying.

The memory of that night was one of Valiant's rarest treasures : he cherished it dearly, as it had marked the beginning of his reign as the Knight of the Western Sea. Ewan and him had fucked some more after everything had been laid out in the open, Ewan playfully calling Valiant his very own pirate, and Valiant had started sketching out his plan to conquer the sea.

Its raging success had been the first step to the expansion of his empire. Gaining a complete control of the Western Sea had lead to the monitoring of each and every ship passing through, and later to the pillage by Valiant's men of those who belonged to Albion mafia.

Valiant's stranglehold had discouraged many of the businessmen from the neighboring country to traffic in his territory, giving him the control of the western coasts of Albion as well as the sea. The members of Albion mafia, clearly desperate, had started to reach out to him to offer a deal : a safe passage in the Western Sea in exchange of whatever he asked of them - money, relations, foreign merchandises that they had the monopoly of.

Helped by Ewan and Delvin, putting into play years of practice in the mafia, Valiant had managed to conceal his brutal nature and negotiate the deals, letting Albion's leaders believe in his good will and all while plundering their resources with all his might.

Deep in thought, Valiant cracked his knuckles, making his bodyguard jump in his seat. Shooting him an irritated glance, he waved away the spluttering attempts at apologies, an icy glint in his blue eyes. Valiant had hired the man, Alvarr, a few weeks earlier, when he'd realized that someone could very well try to do to him what he had done to his predecessor, and had often regretted it since.

It couldn't be helped, Valiant thought. He had half the mind to take out his gun from where it was safely tucked at the small of his back, wanting to get rid of the annoying distraction, but thought better of it : the bodyguard could be of some use where he was heading. Besides, the driver might be too scared to drive properly afterwards, and Valiant didn't exactly fancy having an accident.

Heaving out a sigh, Valiant toyed for a second with his ring before folding his hand on his lap, resolutely turning his back on the bodyguard.

The fact that most of Albion mafia's members had bent the knee, so to speak, wasn't enough : what Valiant desired most was a complete surrender. As such, one last thing was amiss for his satisfaction to reach its peak : one of the families controlling the country of Albion had remained silent. No calls had been made to strike a deal, no messages had been transmitted, no emissaries had been sent.

What puzzled Valiant the most was that no attempts had been made to force a passage into his territory, either : the mafia's ships had all but avoided the western coast, in what most would have called a show of weakness. But Valiant knew that there was something dodgy about it : one didn't put on hold an entire business that easily, and certainly not one with the Pendragons' reputation.

Suspicious at the disappearance of the ships, Valiant had sent Ewan to spy on them. The Knight's lover had moved into Camelot soon after, starting his research in the very heart of Albion, where the siege of the Pendragons' business was located. Ewan's first report had confirmed Valiant's worst fear : the mafia's business was as prolific as ever, indifferent to Valiant's hold on the sea.

It was like the latter didn't even exist.

Curious and more than a little angry at the prospect, Valiant had ordered Ewan to gather as much information as possible on the Pendragons, and what he'd learned had only deepened his interest. According to Ewan, if the numerous families controlling the country were lords in a kingdom, the Pendragons were no doubt considered royalty. It wasn't by chance, Valiant knew, that they were called the Kings of Camelot : their fame and fortune knew no precedent, and their influence was rumored to reach the highest social circles of all Albion.

Politicians, celebrities and businessmen alike welcomed the Pendragons among them without a second thought.

Built in the wake of the industrial revolution by Constantin Pendragon, their empire had allowed them to accumulate riches and power for years until they'd diminished in influence during the two world wars. Their fame had returned full force with the rise of Uther Pendragon, Constantin's son, who had rebuilt his name on its ashes by becoming the most successful businessman Albion had known in several decades.

Starting out as a lawyer, Uther's impressive track record had earned him the attention of several politicians who'd found themselves in a tight spot. Collecting favors as some might stamps or corks of expensive wine bottles, Uther had risen to the top of Albion's society, resulting in his family becoming the wealthiest of the country.

The most interesting part of Ewan's report, however, was what had come after. If Uther's ruthlessness was quite legendary, it hadn't prevented him from living a happy marriage with Ygraine Dubois, daughter of a famous actress. According to the rumors, the loss of his wife was the reason Uther had turned into the unforgiving mafia leader he was now known as. Using his firm and his renown, he had mercilessly defended the other mafia members of their crimes, turning a blind eye on blackmail, fraud, and even murder.

Yet, despite his impressive biography, Uther wasn't the reason Valiant was travelling to Camelot in the early night, dressed in a three-piece suit and wearing expensive leather shoes. That honor befell on the man's son, Arthur Pendragon, a young businessman who had taken the reigns of his father's empire when the latter had retired - or at least that was what the media had said. The rumors, less kind, had proclaimed the man to be locked in a fancy asylum, delirious in the grasp of Alzheimer's disease.

A frown pulling at his brow, Valiant turned his gaze on his driver :

" Are we there yet ? "

His voice sliced through the heavy silence like the cutting edge of a razor blade, startling both his driver and his bodyguard.

" N...nearly there, sir. We...we...we'll arrive in ten minutes or so, sir, " the driver stuttered.

Valiant only grunted in answer, disgusted by the deferential tone of the man. Cedric wasn't a light most of the time, but he was loyal and never asked questions, which was the only reason Valiant kept him around. His tendency to forget how to speak properly in Valiant's presence, however, annoyed him to no end. He liked fear when it was paired up with respect : contempt was angering, while boot-licking was plainly distasteful.

This was why he'd taken Ewan as a lover : the man always had some cheek, and Valiant had liked that about him. Ewan wasn't shy - had never hesitated to demand being fucked - but always knew when to give Valiant his space, and respected his authority above all.

Thinking about Ewan made Valiant clench his jaw, grinding his teeth in anger. There was a reason he had chosen to travel to Camelot, and the implications of it were of dire nature. Exactly two months after having infiltrated the Pendragons' business, Ewan had disappeared without a trace, and the last report he had sent, one week before, had been the most intriguing of all. It contained the rough sketch of Arthur's story, and was puzzling in the fact that it lacked lots of personal elements for a man as public as the young Pendragon.

His father darkened by the loss of his wife, deemed responsible for his mother's death, Arthur Pendragon had been raised by nanny after nanny, the lack of paternal figure and motherly affection painfully obvious in the way he had grown up. Disregarding his father's wishes to see him become a lawyer, he had chosen to study economics at uni, and from then on seemed to have made a personal challenge of contradicting his father at every turn. More often then not his antics had made the front page of the tabloids, to Uther's greatest displeasure.

Drinking heavily, sleeping around, partying instead of going to school, getting arrested for minor infractions, he had done it all until one day, right after his twenty-first birthday, he had mysteriously disappeared.

To Ewan's surprise, as he'd stated, no one quite knew what Arthur had done while he was away. People were talking, of course : the young Pendragon had wanted to visit the world, tired of his father's ways ; he'd fled away with a beautiful girl he'd married in secret ; he'd become the lover of some older queen of a foreign country ; he'd been kidnapped by enemies of his father in the hopes of getting a ransom...The rumors were as numerous as they were inaccurate and none of them had satisfied Valiant.

The only certainty there was that that Arthur had returned after his father's demise, more powerful than ever, and ready to expand his family's legacy.

Valiant burned to know the truth about Arthur Pendragon, but right now he had more pressing matters at hand : the disappearance of his spy, Ewan, if it didn't weigh down his heart, was worrying enough for the future of his business. That Arthur Pendragon had dared to suppress him - for it had to be him, since no one else could possibly have the means to know who Ewan really was - was like a slap to Valiant's face, the throwing of a proverbial gauntlet.

It was a challenge Valiant wouldn't dream to refuse.

As if answering this particular thought, the car veered left on the road, trees thinning abruptly to reveal the light's of Camelot below, widely spread until they reached the bottom of a hill, nearly blinding in sharp contrast with the darkness of the countryside.

Instantly attracting Valiant's attention, beacons of light appeared in his direct line of sight, dancing into the sky in some kind of ballet. The mesmerizing display would have surprised Valiant, if not for the colors of the lights themselves : red and gold, like the Pendragon's crest.

Their presence, like a cross on a map, could only mean one thing, and Valiant heaved a sigh of relief : the car had finally reached its destination.

***

A few minutes later, the car arrived at the top of the hill, and a tall building came into view. Its shape unmistakable despite the darkness reigning around, made of perfectly adjusted stones and seemingly no cement of any kind, The Dragon was a castle, the likes of the ones described in fairytales. Originated from the Middle Ages, it had been renovated by the Pendragons near the end of the twentieth century, becoming Uther's favorite place of residence until the death of his wife.

Strangely enough, it had been Arthur's idea to build a casino within the walls, modifying the functions of the various rooms while keeping its appearance as a medieval castle. In a few months, the layout had been transformed to fit its new purpose, and it had taken only a year for The Dragon to become the main attraction of Albion's capital, the whispers of its legendary standing reaching even Valiant's ears.

Even more interesting than its origin, the hearsay attributed to the castle the role of the perfect meeting place for all the politicians of the country, along with foreign celebrities and dignitaries. According to those rumors, The Dragon was where Arthur Pendragon held his most private negotiations, receiving business partners and world-class dealers alike, as well as other members of Albion's mafia.

Such rumors didn't really matter to Valiant : all that counted was that The Dragon was the place he had the best shot at finding Arthur Pendragon. The latter, too scared to reach out to him, no doubt fearing the impending loss, wouldn't expect Valiant to corner him in his hometown, inside his castle, in the very place he believed he was safe.

The thought of the young Pendragon having no idea of what the night would uphold made a genuine smile curl on Valiant's lips.

As Cedric parked the car among the many others already occupying the parking spaces, Valiant tapped thoughtfully against his ring before catching his own gaze in the rearview mirror. Hair clipped short and perfectly shaved, he looked every inch the gentleman - despite being anything but. Smirking at his reflection, Valiant didn't even bother to thank his chauffeur, waiting for his bodyguard to come open his door before stepping out, straightening his suit as he went.

He took his time surveying his surroundings, gaze unhurried as it detailed the numerous cars parked beside his own. Most of them looked quite expensive, screaming wealth and fame to Valiant's ears. Among the bright yellow Porsches and red Ferraris, however, could also be seen a few other cars, mostly black and subdued like Valiant's, that spoke more of power and influence.

Surprised by the lack of security - there wasn't a single guard in sight - Valiant flicked his gaze at the sky, the moon smiling ominously at him from where it was nearly hidden behind one of the castle's towers. He breathed in deeply, trying to calm the wild pounding of his heart, the first tingle of adrenaline licking at his spine. It was a gamble he was making that night, but sweating like a boy who hadn't even made his first kill would do nothing to lead him to a positive outcome.

Everything froze.

Then, shoulders rolled back and confidence plain in every step, Valiant started walking toward the entrance of the casino.

Followed by Alvarr, his bodyguard, Valiant climbed the steps leading to the door of the castle. The latter, entirely made of wood, was underlining the name of the casino. Two golden dragons, wings outstretched, were displayed as door knockers, and Valiant got the distinct impression that they were looking a him. He realized why a second later : instead of being hollow like he first thought, the dragon's eyes were made of stones - two red ones each, and a shiver ran down Valiant's spine as he wondered if the stones could really be rubies.

The soft music streaming from within the castle masked Valiant's sharp intake of breath when his gaze fell on two women, who were standing in front of the door as if they were waiting for him.

Dressed in blood red waistcoats and clean cut white shirts, they were both wearing red bowties around their necks, and their hands were clasped behind their backs. Despite the dim light, Valiant could perfectly see how beautiful the two women were : rather thin, almost gracile in their built, they both had a pale skin, but while one was a brunette with dark blue eyes, the other had clearer irises - green, Valiant thought - and light brown hair. Raking an appreciative gaze over their figures - he was only human, after all - Valiant allowed himself a pleased smile as they bowed before him in one graceful movement.

" Welcome to The Dragon " they said in unison, voice honey smooth in Valiant's ears.

As they straightened again, one hand behind their backs and the other curved over their waists, the soft, almost intimate light streaming from above revealed the pins both were wearing. One glance was enough for Valiant to guess their shape : a carefully designed dragon with its wings splayed wide, ready to soar. The gleaming metal, painted in black, was a startling contrast against the women's immaculate shirts, and moved with their chests as they spoke, giving the dragons the illusion of life :

" My name is Kara " said the woman on the right, an almost solemn look on her features.

" And I am Sefa " added the one on the left, her demeanor the perfect mirror of her coworker's.

Opening the door in one perfect gesture that only hours of practice could allow, their heels clicking softly on the stoned floor, they exchanged an inscrutable glance before turning back to him :

" Follow the corridor to the end " indicated the one named Kara. " Right before the door, to your left, you will find our colleague : she will provide you with all the necessary accommodations for the duration of your stay. "

" Your bodyguard is welcome to rest in one of our dedicated room in the meantime, " Sefa added, " as well as you driver. "

Valiant scoffed at that :

" Alvarr stays with me. "

His voice, sharp as a knife, brook no argument. Instead of forbidding it, as he expected they would, both women simply nodded :

" We assure you that our security staff is highly trained, and that its only purpose is to protect our clients " was Sefa's answer, her voice soft yet perfectly clear.

" If you insist to be accompanied, we must inform you that the use of firearms or weapons of any kind isn't authorized in the premises, to the exception of facing a life-threatening danger. Any other use - blackmail, extortion - will immediately be dealt with by our staff " Kara warned.

Valiant felt a twinge of unease somewhere in his chest, coupled with the rise of anger : the tone was so subtle most would miss it, but both staff members seemed to imply that having a personal bodyguard was unnecessary, and thus that keeping him was a laughable show of fear.

Moreover, their warning depicted him as a child waving a plastic toy about, and the image in itself made rage churn inside him.

Gritting his teeth, Valiant froze for a frustrating second, weighting his options. It wasn't that he was afraid - the young Pendragon wouldn't dare kill him in cold blood inside the casino - but his bodyguard was an additional safety measure Valiant was loathed to dispose of. Which meant he only had three options : to leave, to order Alvarr to step down, or to go inside with him.

In the end, Valiant didn't really have a choice : if he were to leave, his pride would never recover the blow. If he were to enter alone, he would expose himself and risk sharing Ewan's fate. If he chose the keep Alvarr close, he would become Arthur Pendragon's laughing stock.

It was that particular thought that led him to his answer : the young Pendragon wouldn't laugh for long once he'd see who, exactly, had come for his head.

" We'll keep that in mind " Valiant simply answered, referring to Kara's warning.

Smile infuriatingly knowing, Kara only nodded once before indicating the corridor with a swipe of her hand, a smile softening her sharp features :

" We hope you'll enjoy your evening " she said, stepping aside.

" And wish you the best of luck in our games ! " Sefa added, imitating her.

They both bowed once again, their deference a balm on Valiant's nerves, and let him enter the castle.

Following the rather large corridor, Alvarr in tow, Valiant took his time admiring the tapestries displayed on the walls, medieval looking scenes carefully depicted on them. There was a man - a peasant, judging by his clothes - in awe at the center of a crystal cave, a blond king slaying a dragon made of golden threads, knights with red cloaks and heavy chainmails...Valiant had never been fond of such decorations, but even he had to admit than none other would be more suited for a castle.

As both women had promised, Valiant found a smaller wooden door at the end of the corridor, guarded by yet another member of the staff - a boy barely out of his mother's skirts, judging by his youthful face. Not bothering to greet him with anything other than a disdainful tilt of his chin, Valiant turned toward Kara and Sefa's coworker, who was waiting for him in a small alcove, seated behind a sculpted desk decorated with handcrafted flowers.

The woman seemed to be working on some documents, but looked up as he approached. Her dark brown eyes were hard even as she smiled at him, and her features all but kind. She stood up anyway, a gesture learned by rote, and bowed before him, her raven curls falling over her shoulders in soft waves.

Throwing property to the wind, Valiant let his hungry gaze rake over her lean frame. Even more beautiful than her colleagues, slight and petite, the woman had curves in all the right places and was unfairly attractive. Letting his eyes linger on her defined chest, Valiant noticed the black pin gleaming on her shirt, identical to the two others he'd seen - probably a way of showing that they belonged to the Pendragons, Valiant thought with a sneer.

He looked up to meet the woman's eyes, and his faint desire was instantly quenched by the distinctive confidence the woman was displaying like a banner - or a warning. Valiant despised her on sight : from the way she was dressed to the pin on her chest, it was obvious she was yet another servant in the castle, yet she was handling herself with the calm authority of those who knew they had power.

Valiant had met a lot of those during his conquest of the Western Islands, and he had made sure they all ended up in the same way : dead. If all went according to plan, Valiant thought, that woman would be no different.

" Good evening, sir " the brunette started, as if on cue. " My name is Freya. It is my pleasure to welcome you to The Dragon. As it is your first time here, allow me to explain the inner working of the casino " she offered with practice aloofness.

Valiant curtly nodded his assent.

" Upon you entry " Freya stated, " you will be handed a dragon pin. Please wear it visibly and return it when you leave : it is a way to assure our security staff an optimum working environment. "

" And if I refuse ? " Valiant asked, just to be contrary.

" Then I'm afraid I won't be able to allow you to enter " the woman replied without missing a beat. " You must understand, sir, that the pin is part of our safety measures. "

Eyes narrowed, Valiant watched intently as Freya reached into the top drawer on her left and pulled out his pin, along with the one Valiant assumed being for his bodyguard. He stood impassive but inwardly had to admit that the idea was clever : without pin, any intruder would be immediately detected and handled by the staff.

As Freya handed the pin to Valiant, the latter noticed with surprise that it was made of silver rather than painted black. Of course, he reflected : the difference made it easier to spot the members of the staff and tell them apart from the clients, thus avoiding any embarrassing mishap - like a politician being hailed like a mere waiter.

Hating having to concede Arthur Pendragon the intelligence of his ways, Valiant clenched his jaw and carefully fastened the pin on his tailored jacket, throwing Alvarr an irritated glance as the latter required help to do the same. Ignoring them both, Freya reached inside a drawer to her right, pulling out a heavy file and a gleaming red pen with a golden dragon engraved on it.

" I'm going to need a name, a credit card, and a signature on the registry " she asked carefully, settling both objects on her desk. " Rest assured that all of this is completely confidential : the information you'll be giving us is for the staff's eyes only. "

Valiant favored her with a stony glance. He knew that it was only a standard procedure, but that didn't mean he had to like it. He had his reasons for wanting to remain anonymous : he wasn't comfortable with the idea of advertising himself before reaching Arthur Pendragon's vicinity. Valiant was positive his arrival hadn't been announced, as he'd made sure that no one except Delvin knew where he was heading when he'd left his islands. Valiant knew that Arthur Pendragon wasn't a man easily swayed, and surprise wasn't a lesser advantage he could easily dispose of.

Yet, giving a fake name was out of the question : it would only be seen as a coward's move, and Valiant was all but a coward.

" Sir ? "

Realizing he had stayed silent for too long, he carefully plucked out his ID card from his coat pocket and settled it on the counter. He then grabbed the pen - he had half the mind to steal it, but doubted the woman wouldn't notice - and apposed his signature on the registry.

Almost religiously silent, Freya took a quick look at his ID and set it down, swiping Valiant's credit card into some kind of machine before handing it back to him. She then opened a compartment in the machine and took out another card that she gave him in exchange.

Without any surprises, the card was blood red, with the Pendragons' crest drawn in gold on one side, along with the words " Welcome to The Dragon ". On the other side, Valiant's name was written in capital letters, right next to a number - his client's reference, Valiant assumed.

" This card is yours and yours only " Freya explained, " It contains your credit card's information and will record your results in your games as well as your purchases. Please hand it to a waiter if you desire a drink, and to the game masters if you wish to play. "

Valiant nodded briskly, starting to get impatient.

" Is there anything else you wish to know before entering ? "

The question made Valiant chuckle. A smirk stretched his lips, breaking his carefully crafted facade for a second, then turned into a wolfish smile :

" There is, actually " he answered with cold detachment. " Would you know were I can find the owner of the establishment ? "

For a second, he thought he saw something freeze behind Freya's mask of professionalism. The brunette stiffened imperceptibly, biting her lip as she was seemingly refraining herself from asking a question. She quickly recovered her composure, making a show of an impressive self-control :

" I'm afraid mister Pendragon isn't available for the moment " she replied, tone apologetic. " He is currently in company of the guests he personally invited for the evening. "

For a moment, Valiant wondered who, exactly, would be personally invited by the owner to spend the night with him. He swiftly dismissed the thought with an annoyed shrug of his shoulder : it didn't matter who was with Pendragon, for as soon as the owner of the casino would be made aware of his presence, he would dismiss his guests to greet Valiant.

Any other train of action, considering Valiant's power over the Western Sea, would be tantamount to an economic suicide.

" Is there a message you'd like me to deliver to him ? " Freya asked.

Valiant snorted :

" This is no matter I wish to discuss with one of his employees " he grunted with disdain. " I need to speak with him in person. Urgently. "

" As I said, I'm afraid he isn't available right now. I can inform him of your presence, if you'd like. "

Impatience warring against caution in his mind, Valiant hesitated a split second before throwing caution to the wind, giving in to his nerves. After all, it wasn't as if Arthur Pendragon would run away instead of facing him.

" Please " Valiant said with a cold smile, " inform him that the Knight of the Western Sea wishes to see him. "

There, he thought. Used for the first time by Ewan in their bed, almost a year ago, the title had pleased him, and it was under this name that he was known over all the Islands and Albion itself. Knowing that and what he could do, Pendragon would have no choice but to come to him.

Despite what he had intended, the brunette didn't instantly scrambled for her phone, fear shining bright in her eyes, and her smile didn't waver as she answered :

" I am sure he will be with you shortly. In the meantime, feel free to enjoy the casino. "

Her professional demeanor not cracking one bit, she called up the boy who was still waiting beside the door :

" If you would like a drink while you wait, please inform Daegal of your choice and give him your card. He'll bring it to you. "

Shorter than Valiant, his brown hair falling on his forehead, the boy had olive green eyes and in Valiant's opinion nothing outstanding to be proud of. Awkwardly filling his red tuxedo, he stood beside Valiant, back ramrod straight, waiting for his order.

Puzzled for a second at the absence of dragon pin, Valiant narrowed his eyes and finally spotted the shape on the man's chest, its blood red color so perfectly matching the tuxedo's that it was hardly visible in the dim light of the corridor. Valiant wondered what the change in color meant. The employees he had met so far all had the same function : to welcome the clients in the castle and introduce them to the casino. Maybe they were separated by gender, Valiant thought. It would explain the difference.

" At your service, sir " the waiter said with a boyish smile.

Valiant smirked. It occurred to him that in a show of misplaced pride, Pendragon could very well take his time to join him - making someone wait for an appointment had always been a way of taking power over them, after all. He might as well enjoy a bit of fun while he waited.

" I'll have a Commonwealth " he ordered dismissively, handing the boy his card with a flick of the wrist.

It was most complicated drink he had ever heard of, reputed to require exactly seventy-one ingredients, all originated from a different country. Knowing that the bartender would have to patiently prepare them, all the while unable to receive tips from other clients, was quite satisfying an idea.

Valiant knew he was being petty, but it did seem a good way to unwind after his tiring trip.

" As you wish, sir. "

The boy bowed graciously and raised an inquiring eyebrow at Alvarr. The latter, cowering under Valiant's glare, softly shook his head, and the boy shoot Valiant a curious smile before turning away, opening the door with a deft hand before disappearing behind. Without bothering to ask for Freya's permission, Valiant motioned for Alvarr to follow him and entered the great hall.

Stunned by the magnificence of the castle's main room, Valiant paused on the threshold, mouth half opened in shock as he looked around.

The ceiling was so high it seemed unattainable, and decorated with so many crystal chandeliers that it was impossible to count them. The flashes of bright lights, no doubt hiding the surveillance cameras, were streaming down onto the stony ground. The naked walls were littered with tiny alcoves that all contained an artifact or another - there was an ornate cup, a golden sword, a crown, a shield, some jewelry, and, strangely enough, what looked like a flower - the precious metal and stones gleaming in the lights like tiny suns.

The wooden tables, strategically placed, were covered of red velvet, and circled around a gigantic bar - the only piece of furniture that had been added to the decor - also wooden, crafted like a cube : the inside probably held the reserves and the cooling system, while the walls were covered with bottles of all kinds of alcohol. The waiters were repeatedly stopping by to pick up drinks and order new ones, and the bartenders were working without a second of respite between the cube and the perfectly smooth wood of the counter.

At the extreme end of the wall, were should have been the thrones, was built a small scene, and Valiant was astonished to find out that the music he'd first heard when he'd arrived at The Dragon wasn't coming from speakers but from real life musicians - there was six of them, each with a different instrument. They were playing some kind of symphony better suited for an orchestra, which strangely enough didn't feel at all out of place.

Throwing an irritated glance over his shoulder at Alvarr's admiring whistle, doing his best to suppress his own awe at the view, Valiant entered with a sure step, taking note of the clients that were mingling around.

The men were mostly dressed in dark tuxedos, the formal wear of rich fabric and tailor-made, blacks and whites blurring in Valiant's eyes. Some of them, more daring, had chosen silk shirts of bright colors, in deep reds and gorgeous blues and emerald greens, their radiance reminding Valiant of precious stones.

The women, on the other hand, seemed to have chosen this very evening to wear their most ostentatious outfits : the dresses were of silk, velvet, muslin, some embroidered, others nearly transparent, tight fitted and often leaving little to the imagination, all the while remaining inside the boundaries of decency. Hair perfectly done, makeup betraying hours of work, the women were a majority in attendance, which led Valiant to believe that a fair amount of them were there for the wealthiness of the men present in the hall rather than the games.

Most of the clients were displaying jewelry, too, which didn't surprise Valiant in the least. If he himself was wearing some - his signet ring, his watch, and a diamond earring - he stood out as an exception, his possessions being way more subdued than most.

It didn't really mattered to Valiant, anyway : he knew that those who were the most ostentatious with their riches were often the ones who had them less.

Curious, Valiant was making his way toward one of the most crowded tables when his gaze fell on the boy from earlier - Daegal or something - as he was walking to the wide bar placed at the very center of the hall. On the side directly facing him, Valiant could see a tall, dark-haired bartender pouring a glass of expensive rum to a redhead dressed in a suit. The bartender's practiced ease was a wondrous contrast to his obvious clumsiness - he nearly dropped the bottle as he tried to put it back in its place, and one of his coworkers, a blonde woman with a too wide smile, had to steady him with a hand on his chest least he fell face first on the ground.

The serving boy leaned toward both men, handing the bartender Valiant's card and exchanging a few words. The redhead nodded grimly at something he said, but his expression was quickly replaced with an amused grin as the bartender's friendly smile turned into a scowl, no doubt upon hearing Valiant's order. Valiant snorted at the annoyance written all over the man's face and moved away, only then starting to relax.

Letting his mind wander, he walked around the tables, assisting to a few games as he went. Men in red uniforms were scurrying beside him with the client's drinks, avoiding with a dancer's gracefulness the clients on their paths, as the clients themselves were obnoxiously walking from one table to another.

Valiant finally reached the table that had attracted his attention earlier, and chuckled at the scene : a few clients were frozen in awe, mouth gaping at a man's seemingly winning hand. They emitted in unison a gasp of surprise as one of the player - a tall, lean brunette with soft dark hair - unveiled her own cards, gobsmacked at the talent with which she had won the round.

His attention back on the bar, Valiant noticed that the bartender had disappeared from view, along with the redhead. The young serving boy was still there, however, no doubts waiting for the cocktail. Soon enough, the black-haired man was back, a fancy looking glass filled with a red liquid carefully held in one hand. He settled it in front of Daegal, who took it with equal care and looked around, smiling as he spotted Valiant in the crowd. His eagerness to bring his client the drink made Valiant scoff : the serving boy looked like nothing more than a dog trained to play fetch.

" Your cocktail and your card, sir. Apologies for the wait, sir. "

Without bothering to thank him, Valiant took a first sip, marveling at the taste, far better than what he had come to expect. Despite the bartender's obvious displeasure, he hadn't tried to fool Valiant, and clearly knew how to do his job : despite its complexity, it had taken the man less than five minutes to prepare the drink.

The idea made Valiant angry somehow, as he was unable to stifle his admiration at the way Arthur Pendragon was running his casino. The man wasn't even thirty, for God's sake, he shouldn't have been able to find that many competent employees in such a short time.

Patience worn thin, Valiant swiped a thumb on his signet ring, the snake of his crest cold under his touch. A smile stretched his lips : he had waited enough. If Pendragon wasn't arsed to come and find him, it was Valiant that would come to him.

It was time for the Knight to challenge the King.

***

In a perfectly timed answer to his thoughts, Valiant caught sight of a tall figure round the corner of the bar : a blond man dressed in a red shirt and pressed trousers, hair tousled under the lights. Animatedly speaking with a couple, hands waving about and a smile on his features, he seemed perfectly relaxed, confidence plain in the set of his shoulders.

Facing him was a man with mid-long dark hair and an expensive looking suit who was nodding approvingly at whatever Arthur Pendragon was saying. The woman, petite and blonde with wavy hair and too much makeup, was holding herself with the subdued confidence wives of businessmen and politicians often possessed, aware but leaving the lead of the conversation to the two men.

Just as he started walking toward them, the blond flung his head back and laughed whole-heartedly, a delighted smile spreading on his features. His gaze flickered to Valiant, and he shook his head as he bid his goodbyes, clasping the man's shoulder before walking away, right toward Valiant.

Valiant had recognized the so called King of Camelot from the pictures he'd seen, but what had given him away, even from the distance, was the dragon pin he wore on his chest, its design just like every other but this time made of pure, glowing gold.

Followed at some distance by a man with bulging muscles and an impassive face - Percival, Pendragon's personal bodyguard, according to Ewan - Arthur made his way to Valiant, poise relaxed, stopping here and there to shake the hand of a client or brush a woman's inner wrist with his lips, making her giggle.

His eyes, however, never quite left Valiant , and they were strangely twinkling as he finally reached him, his bodyguard stopping a few feet away.

" Valiant Serclier " he greeted him with a friendly smile. " It is a pleasure to finally meet you. "

" Likewise " Valiant replied. " I've heard so much about you, it would have been a shame to miss the opportunity to discuss with you. "

Shaking the proffered hand with a firm hold, Valiant decided that the blurry pictures he had received from Ewan didn't do Arthur Pendragon justice. Taller than Valiant had expected, he had short blond hair that looked as soft as a kitten's fur - the comparison nearly making a snicker fall from Valiant's lips - and deep blue eyes like an echo of the summersky.

Even if his bulk didn't match Valiant's, Arthur Pendragon was definitely well muscled - though not overly so - with the distinct air of a man who knew how to take care of himself and wasn't afraid to show it. His broad shoulders and strong pectorals were tightly hugged by a simple cotton shirt, the material as if molded directly on his body. The dragon pin was gleaming on his chest, its color matching his watch, yet they both seemed pale compared to the unmistakable aura of power burning around the man, giving him the bearing of the kings of old.

Grinning toothily at Valiant's words, the King of Camelot cocked his head to the side, the gesture giving him an incredibly boyish look - like a child at Christmas in a toys commercial.

" It was long overdue " he replied in a pleasant tone. " But I must say I'm glad you came only tonight ; a week earlier and I wouldn't have had time to spare you. "

Valiant nearly didn't feel the sting of his words, the jab carefully hidden yet its meaning clear, implying that Valiant didn't hold that much importance, and was rather an inconvenience than the man about to ruin the Pendragons' empire.

The reference to the time of Ewan's disappearance couldn't be a coincidence, either, and Valiant smiled in turn, features mirthless :

" I have no doubts that it must be a tiring job that you have. All this running around trying to gather up scattered sheeps like a good guard dog...It must be an exhausting task. "

The young Pendragon seemed a bit taken aback by his bluntness, and Valiant fought down a winning smirk. Arthur's smile, however, didn't waver one bit, and it's with an almost bashful look that he hung his head, as if the words he was about to pronounce made him uncomfortable :

" Oh, it is true that I must make sure that my herd stays safe, but them wandering off isn't currently a problem. After all, it's not as if there is a wolf threatening them. "

Valiant felt the words like a slap to his face, but at the same time couldn't help but admire Pendragon's bravado : for a man pinned down, he certainly was acting like a cocky bastard.

" A wolf isn't the sole danger one can encounter in the wild, mister Pendragon. Other animals - like, let's say, a snake - can be way more dangerous. "

" I must agree with you on this " Arthur graciously conceded, " but a snake isn't a threat if one knows how to counteract its poison. "

" What if the snake strikes you unaware, then ? " Valiant asked, feigning amusement.

" Oh, it can't " Arthur chuckled lightly. " Not as long as I know exactly where my sheeps are. "

The direct reference to Valiant's lack of knowledge about Ewan whereabouts - he expected him dead in an alley, no less - made a hiss fall past the man's lips, as if he was spitting venom :

" I'm sure you're doing wonderfully " he said dismissively. " But as much as I am delighted to have this conversation, there are some private matters I wish to discuss with you. About your...family business, I dare say. You understand, I'm sure. "

Arthur Pendragon's demeanor changed abruptly, nearly startling Valiant. His relaxed stance froze in place, and his smile dimmed a little as his eyes turned icy cold :

" Not here " he said sharply.

He was about to add something when the thrill of a ringtone broke the silence. The young Pendragon took one look at the screen of his phone and his brow furrowed in concern :

" Leon ? " he asked as soon as he picked up. " What's the matter ? "

He listened for a second to the voice on the other side of the line and paled imperceptibly :

" Is he alright ? " he asked, loosing some of his aloofness.

He listened intently to the man's reply, an involuntary sigh of relief escaping his lips at whatever the man was saying.

" I understand. No, it's okay, I'll manage. But make it quick, alright ? "

He hung up without waiting for an answer, smile apologetic as he turned back to Valiant :

" My apologies, mister Serclier. There's been an...unforeseen event that my head of security had to take care off. "

" An event of what kind, if I may ask ? " Valiant wondered, eyes a bit wide, faking concern.

" Nothing important " Arthur replied, waving his hand about. " Just a client who got angry after losing half his savings in one of our games.

He took a deep breath :

" Now, regarding what you asked...I'm sorry for my reaction, but I'm afraid it isn't something I'd like to discuss in public. If you would follow me ? My office isn't far. "

Suddenly feeling like a chastised child despite Pendragon's subdued tone, Valiant only nodded. Upon seeing his gesture, the blond flicked his gaze at his bodyguard, uncertain.

" Alvarr stays with me " Valiant answered at Arthur's hesitant look. " As I imagine that Percival will follow us, I think it's only fair. "

Arthur looked shocked for a second, as if he had not expected Valiant to know his own bodyguard's name, but quickly stamped down his emotions :

" Certainly " he said with a forced smile. " This way " he added, indicating with one hand a door embedded in the wall on his right, so small comparing to the entirety of the room that it was unnoticeable from the entrance.

They walked toward it in silence, uneasy for Arthur and full of promises for Valiant. Percival, Arthur's bodyguard, was the one to open the door with a personal key and a code entered in a mechanism connected to the door. He was also the one who closed it behind them four, following a few steps away.

They walked along yet another corridor, and three more after that, before climbing a flight of stairs, their footsteps resonating on the naked stone. At the top of the stairs, they reached one last corridor, which led to an ordinary looking door, handle gleaming in the dim light.

Arthur Pendragon's office wasn't, to Valiant's opinion, what most would call ostentatious. It must have been a study of some kind during the earliest days of the castle, for the walls were naked saved for two tapestries and a bookshelf that took an entire section of the walls. A round table was placed at the very center of the room, its surface stained and marked by time, and several disparate chairs were placed around it.

As Valiant settled in one of the chairs - one that looked quite like a throne, and was also the most comfortable - Arthur walked toward to a wooden piece of furniture hidden in one corner of the room. Pulling out an expensive looking glass - no doubt made of crystal - and a bottle of alcohol the color of honey, he poured himself a drink and offered some to Valiant with a tilt of his head - that the Knight had declined, his own glass still half full.

Sitting on the chair opposite from Valiant, unease oozing from his very pores, Arthur took a sip of his drink before joining his hands and resting his chin on his crossed fingers. A frown pulled at Valiant's brow when he noticed the plain golden band on his ring finger : despite Ewan's thorough and detailed research, he hadn't know that the young Pendragon was married.

Before Valiant had the chance to ask, though - and he realized a second later that it probably wouldn't have been a good idea to expose as such his lack of knowledge - the blond leaned back in his chair, looking incredibly tired all of sudden.

" I'm listening " he said softly.

Valiant waited a second, trying to decide what was the best course of action. Bluntly imposing his terms on the Arthur would be counter productive : the latter's pride might as well force him to refuse any kind of arrangement, which would lead to the fall of his empire but also to a significant loss on Valiant's part. Pretending to be a simple businessman wouldn't do, either : the blond was undoubtedly too smart to let the act fool him ; besides, he had to know who Valiant was and how he had managed to conquer the sea.

It seemed that, despite not being Valiant's forte, subtlety would have to do.

" I was wondering " Valiant started, " does the name Ewan Hiantem mean anything to you ? "

The blond stiffened imperceptibly, then slowly shook his head, face unreadable :

" I'm afraid it doesn't " he answered carefully.

" He was a...friend of mine, you see " Valiant continued as if he hadn't heard the answer. " I've lost all contact with him, yet last time I heard from him he was looking for you. "

He leveled Arthur with an exaggeratedly raised eyebrow :

" Are you sure you haven't heard of him ? "

Arthur looked down for a second, nervously turning the ring on his finger :

" I might have heard of a man answering to this name " he stated cautiously, contrite like a child that had been caught steeling cookies. " Ewan. But his last name wasn't Hiantem ; it was rather something like Ira, Ire ? He started working here two months ago. I don't know much about him though ; if he disappeared, maybe you should ask the staff about it.

Valiant waved his hand about at the answer, fighting down an amused smile : he certainly hadn't expected Arthur to become so pliant the second he was out of his clients' sight.

" I certainly will " he replied.

A hopeful look appeared on Arthur's features, as he was no doubt thinking the conversation over.

Valiant sighed, silent for a second, then his gaze turned hard :

" Anyway, it's not why I'm here " he said, relishing in Arthur's dismay.

" I must say " Valiant added with an indulgent shake of his head, " that you're remarkable to have held on for so long. Most of your so called sheeps..."

The reference at their earlier conversation made a wan smile ghost over Pendragon's features, so weak it barely lifted the corner of his lips.

" ...have already settled their agreements with me. You're the last. Why not discussing our terms now ? "

Valiant tilted his head meaningfully, watching the blond fighting to maintain his composure - if the twitch of his shoulders were any indication. There was a silence so heavy the music from downstairs could be heard, filtering through the door, until Arthur let out a gusty sigh :

" So this is what it is about " he said, tone flat.

Valiant chuckled :

" Of course this is what this is about. Why else would I bother to come all the way from my Islands to find you ? "

His smile turned shark-like :

" Besides, there's no use in pretending, you're not fooling anyone : you knew why I was coming as soon as your heard that I was there. "

Arthur shook his head :

" I wasn't sure " he admitted.

" Please " Valiant replied, nose crunching. " I know you're smarter than that. You wouldn't have agreed to this meeting otherwise. "

There was a flash of something in Arthur's eyes, there and gone in an instant, that made Valiant's blood sing : he definitely looked afraid, now.

" Why would I want to strike a deal with you ? " Arthur finally asked after a long silence, each word carefully measured.

He looked lost, Valiant thought as Arthur swiped a slightly trembling hand in his blond hair. Every inch the prince and not yet a king, strong but not strong enough to withstand the harshness of Valiant's blows. He was the heir to the Pendragon's throne, obviously, but didn't held the power to sit in it.

Here, in his so called castle, Arthur was so far from the man depicted in the stories that Valiant couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment low in his guts. He almost felt pity for Arthur. Almost.

" Because you have no other choice " Valiant stated simply, letting a wistful smile stretch his lips. " Let's be realistic here : you're trapped. I have full control over the Western Sea. I oversee the traffic. None of your ships can reach the western coast without my saying so. Your supposed loyal friends have already negotiated their passage in my territory. Soon, they'll grow into their business while yours will dwindle down. "

He paused for a second, letting the blond come to his own conclusions, before snapping the coffin shut :

" You're the only one left, mister Pendragon. If we don't manage to come to an agreement...you're done. "

The silence that followed that sentence was deafening. It lasted an eternity, before the blond exhaled a sigh, a curious glint in his eyes.

" What do you want ? " he asked then, shoulders hunched, rubbing a tired hand over his face before pressing his glass to his right temple, as if trying to fight a headache.

Oh, how victory tasted sweet in the back of Valiant's mouth.

" You must understand " he answered, thoughtfully, regretfully, " that I can't afford to be lenient here. It took too long, and I must make up for the lost time. I can't offer you the same deal as I did offer your friends. "

He looked expectantly at Arthur, who looked gutted. The blond nodded once, lips pressed in a thin line.

" I want forty percent of your income from each ship passing through my territory, as well as a share of five percent on each of the products. "

An idea suddenly crossed his mind, so beautiful he berated himself for not having thought about it earlier :

" Also...and I agree to be generous here " he added magnanimously, " I want three quarters of The Dragon's ownership. You'll stay the figure of the casino, of course, and you'll be the one to direct everything from here, but you'll answer directly to me. "

Valiant nearly startled at the sudden choking noise behind him. He belatedly remembered that they weren't alone in the room : Arthur's bodyguard was there too, no doubt ready to intervene if Valiant's mood soured. The realization could have scared him, but Valiant felt safe in the knowledge of the gun tucked at the small of his back, hidden under his jacket. Besides, Alvarr too was there, his presence as reassuring as it was irritating.

Reporting his attention on Arthur, Valiant was pleased to notice that he looked stricken, no doubt understanding for the first time the extent of his helplessness. Seemingly gathering his wits, the blond straightened in his chair before nodding once, eyes cast down.

" If I may ask..." he started.

" You're hardly in position to make any demands, Pendragon " Valiant interrupted harshly.

Arthur grimaced :

" I just need to speak to someone before giving you my answer. "

Valiant raised an eyebrow and tutted :

" Unable to take big decisions alone, are we ? " he asked, a mocking smirk stretching his lips.

" It's not..." Pendragon answered, looking humiliated, " it's just Mithian, she's...my partner of sorts. "

Valiant understood at once from the way he was fiddling with his ring.

" I understand " he said gracefully. " Please give your...partner my warmest salutations while you're at it. "

" Thank you " Arthur whispered.

He looked over Valiant's shoulder :

" Perce, if you could escort mister Serclier downstairs ? And tell Mithian that I need to speak to her - without delay. "

As Valiant stood up, Arthur gave him a ghost of a smile :

" Please, feel free to enjoy our casino " he simply stated. " I'll come to you when I have your answer. "

Valiant smirked as he nodded : he had no doubts as to what that answer would be.

***

Proud of his victory, Valiant followed Percival back into the great hall, where he ditched him in favor of savoring the surroundings, knowing that the room would soon belong to him. Pressing his lips to the snake on his ring, he let a smile color his features, all the while following Pendragon's bodyguard movements from the corner of his eyes.

To his surprise, the woman named Mithian turned out to be the one Valiant had picked out in the crowd earlier - the one with the winning hand. She listened intently as the giant bodyguard bend over to whisper in her ear, before graciously excusing herself from the table. Casting a worried glance around her, she followed Percival through the crowd, her grey dress swirling around her ankles as she walked, the silver pin gleaming on her chest.

Valiant watched her with unabashed curiosity as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear with a naked hand. So this was the woman whom Arthur Pendragon had married, Valiant thought. He had to admit that the man had good tastes : the woman stood out in the crowd without even trying, her natural beauty attracting more than one glance, jealous or otherwise, from the other clients.

Valiant wondered if Arthur had met Mithian during his mysterious disappearance. Maybe she was the reason he had left in the first place - maybe his father hadn't liked her and they had eloped in a foreign country. It wasn't that he cared, but he couldn't help being curious. There was still too much he didn't know about Arthur's personal life, and it gnawed on his nerves.

Valiant was quickly pulled out of his thoughts, when he felt the brush of a body behind him, as well as a hand softly pressing on his shoulder.

" Looking for some company ? "

The suggestive voice, Valiant found out upon turning around, belonged to a young blonde woman with a face like a doll's, her pouty, pink-glossed lips bowed in a smile, a blush high on her cheeks, and the fairest skin of all Albion. Her stormy grey eyes, however, spoke of a strong will, and her curves were definitely more enticing than appropriate for such a young lady.

" You seem lonely " she mumbled, slurring a bit. " Who goes to the casino all by himself, really ? "

" I do " Valiant replied with a frown, not sure if he should feel offended by the question.

The woman leaned more heavily on Valiant's shoulder, looking expectantly at him under her lashes :

" And you are ? " she asked, words jumbled.

Taking his cue, Valiant bowed as gracefully as he could and brought her gloved hand to his lips, ghosting a kiss over the purple velvet :

" My name is Valiant " he said. " Valiant Serclier. "

The woman might be drunk out of her arse, but now that he had Arthur Pendragon cornered, Valiant felt like enjoying some entertainment. The fact that he wasn't that much attracted to her - he did prefer brunets, after all - didn't matter : who better than a drunk woman to keep him company while he waited for Pendragon to get his wife's approval for the deal ?

" And who is this handsome bodyguard of yours ? " the blonde asked.

" My shadow for the evening " Valiant answered shortly.

The woman's eyes twinkled as she accepted his lack of answer without question, and she curtsied, her movements surrendering their flawless grace to the alcohol coursing through her blood.

" Valiant " she repeated, testing the name on her tongue. " It's a delight to meet you. My name is Vivian, Vivian Olafson. "

Without missing a beat, she linked her arm to his and pressed herself along his flank, warm and soft in a way only a woman could be. Amused by her attitude - she had the manners of a princess - Valiant matched her step as she began walking around, waving through the crowd and the tables with surprising ease considering her alcohol induced state.

Picking at an nonexistent lint on his shoulder, the blonde turned to him, an earnest glint in her grey irises :

" So, Valiant " she asked, nearly purring, " where do you come from ? I've never seen you here before, and I must admit that I am quite the regular. "

" I grew up in the Western Islands " he replied, unable to completely conceal the hint of pride in his voice. " I'm only in Albion for business. "

" The Western Islands " Vivian repeated thoughtfully, eyes shining bright with the telltale sign of inebriation, " isn't that the territory of... "

She trailed off, biting her lip in worry, and Valiant raised an eyebrow :

" Whose territory is it ? " he demanded, as if to clarify, while he knew very well who she was referring to.

The blonde briefly looked around before leaning toward him to whisper conspiratorially, the same way she would be disclosing her greatest secret :

" Well, you know, the Knight of the Western Sea ? "

" It is, without a doubt " Valiant replied smugly, shrugging a shoulder.

" I heard he's planning to take control over Albion, too " the blonde whispered, looking impressed. " But the truth is, no one quite knows who he is, or what he does. He is only known by his title, and never called by his name. "

She hesitated a second, biting her lower lip :

" Well " she admitted with disappointed sluggishness, " I think mister Pendragon, the higher ups of the staff, they know, but they never said. "

" It isn't a secret, though " Valiant replied, forcing his eyes to go wide, as if shocked. " I mean, in the Western Islands, everyone knows his true name. "

" Do you ? " Vivian asked in earnest.

He voice had taken an absurdly hopeful edge, and who was Valiant to refuse this woman such a pleasure ?

" Of course ! " he exclaimed, a rich laugh bubbling from his lips.

He winked at her :

" His name is Valiant " he murmured in her ear, voice pitched low. " Valiant Serclier. "

Vivian gasped in surprise, covering her mouth with one hand, eyes the size of saucers.

" It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady. "

She giggled as his breath tickled her ear, delighted at the turning of event.

" Is it true, then ? " she asked quietly. " Are you the one rumored to be able to destroy Arthur Pendragon's empire ? "

A pleased feeling flooded Valiant's blood, leaving him lightheaded. He had always known he was capable of it - Ewan had told him enough times - but hearing it from someone way closer to Pendragon than anyone he knew was more than a little enjoyable.

" It is " Valiant replied, pride evident in the way his lips twisted in a smile, and his breath ghosted over her neck as he added, " but it won't be long now. His kingdom will soon be mine. "

Vivian's eyes widened, and her carefully pinned blond curls bounced on her shoulders as she took a step away from him.

" You mean you're here to kill him ? " she asked in a high-pitched tone.

Valiant threw his head back and laughed at the question :

" Of course not ! " he exclaimed, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes.

Though the prospect didn't displease him at all, he needed Arthur to oversee The Dragon's wellbeing while he himself took care of the sea and his own territory : he couldn't afford to kill him, despite Ewan's likely murder and the bloodlust licking at his spine like a familiar dog would, waiting for a treat.

Besides, his ways might be considered rash in most circles, but he wasn't a barbarian - or so Valiant thought.

" Do not worry, my lady " he replied. " Mister Pendragon and myself are both businessmen, which means that we will settle the matter like proper gentlemen : with a contract. "

Vivian sighed in relief and leaned back against him :

" Has he signed it yet ? " she questioned, her interest strangely sharp for a woman who'd had several drinks already.

Valiant exhaled wistfully :

" Not in so many words, no " he replied. " It's not as if there's anything written anyway. "

As Vivian looked so awfully disappointed, lips trembling, he couldn't contain himself from adding :

" But if we're talking metaphorically ? Oh, he will. Soon. "

At his words, Vivian looked so incredibly pleased that Valiant knew he had made the right choice.

The idle chatter of the clients a comforting blanket around them, they started walking around again, steps even yet purposeful. Following Vivian's lead, they reached the wall furthest away from the entrance, and it's only then that Valiant noticed another door along the wall, guarded by a man in uniform wearing a red pin.

" Where does this one lead ? " Valiant asked, curiosity plain in his voice as he pointed a finger to the door.

" The private game rooms " Vivian instantly answered, words weirdly chopped. " They're reserved for Pendragon's favorite clients. "

As they neared the guarded door, Valiant tugged on Vivian's arm, a mischievous smile appearing on his lips :

" Why don't we go and play a game, then ? " he offered.

Vivian's features suddenly lit up, before she seemed to deflate, biting her lip :

" We can't " she finally answered, pouting wistfully. " You have to be invited to enter. I've never been inside because of it, it's only for the big players. "

Valiant frowned for a second, wondering why Vivian hadn't been invited despite being, in her own words, " quite the regular ", but his suspicions vanished in front of her sad eyes, her dismay evident. And if there was one thing Valiant hated, it was feeling like a disappointment.

" We'll see about that " he promised determinedly.

Leaving his now empty glass on the tray of an unsuspecting waiter as he walked, he stopped right in front the man in red, waving a mocking hand to gain his attention.

" My partner and I would like to join the games " he said, voice firm.

" Of course, sir " the man replied. " May I see your card ? "

Valiant handed it to him in one swift move, the plastic gleaming under the lights. The man swiped it in a machine on the wall, but the light remained red instead of turning green.

" I'm sorry, sir " the man said, handing back his card, " but I can't let you in. Do you have an invitation ? "

" I shouldn't need one " Valiant replied arrogantly. " Don't you know who I am ? "

" I'm terribly sorry, sir, but I can't let you enter if you haven't been invited. It's the rules. "

Valiant was about to protest, anger welling up inside him, when a clear, strangely melodic voice resounded in his ears :

" I'll invite him. "

Startled, both Valiant and Vivian turned around, only to see a couple approach, arms linked. It took a few seconds for Valiant to recognize the man Arthur had been discussing with earlier. The latter, expectant, was looking at him with a raised eyebrow :

" What do you say, mister Serclier ? Fancy playing a game with us ? "

Valiant narrowed his eyes at him, thrown of balance by his overbearing cheer. He didn't even know his name, yet the man behaved himself as if they were long lost friends, or some cousins twice-removed who hadn't seen each other in years.

Valiant didn't like it.

It wasn't only the too wide grin or wiggling eyebrow : there was something about the man that Valiant couldn't place. Something in the calculating, almost cold way his dark eyes were boring into him. Or maybe it was in the way her partner was glaring daggers at him, seemingly drilling holes inside his skull. It could also be in the way they were touching, close but not overly familiar, almost careful with each other.

The strange couple they formed, at odd with everything one would expect coming from two lovers, was unsettling : they seemed almost out of place in the decor, the woman a sharp, almost violent contrast to Vivian's soft manners ; the man vicious, underhanded where Valiant preferred clear threats and brute force. Looking at them, Valiant felt waves of unease lapping at his heels, one after the other, to low to be threatening but too high to be ignored.

Knowing the situation wasn't in his favor - being one himself, he knew very well how to recognize a snake when he saw one - Valiant knew he didn't really have a choice but to accept the man's offer : if his gut instinct was right, Cenred was dangerous, and offending him would throw Valiant into a precarious situation.

A sneer threatened to curl on Valiant's lips, but he managed to disguise it into a grateful smile :

" It would be my pleasure " Valiant finally answered. " Mister...? "

He raised an eyebrow, trying to regain his footing in the conversation, but the man's reaction, too enthusiast, threw him off the loop again :

" Of course, of course, how terribly rude of me ! I should have introduced myself before anything else, forgive me. "

The man shook his head self-deprecatingly, as if he couldn't believe his own stupidity. He offered a gloved hand to Valiant, the black leather creaking at the firm touch of Valiant's fingers :

" My name is Cenred, Cenred De Essetir. I must say I am new in Albion's business, so you might not have heard of me, but please do call me Cenred, I'm sure we'll be friends in no time at all. "

Valiant knew they would become nothing of the sort, so Cenred's words sounded more like an ominous warning than an offer at friendship. A shiver running down his spine, Valiant smiled tightly in return :

" I am Valiant Serclier, but I assume you already knew that " he stated, tone carefully blank. " But this is Vivian Olafson, my...date for the evening. "

His hesitation didn't remain unnoticed, as a mocking smile curled on Cenred's lips.

" I see " the latter replied, wonder etched on his features. " I would have thought brunettes to be more of your type, with the way you were ogling lovely Mithian from the corner of your eyes, earlier. "

He bowed in front of the blonde, too graceful for a man that wasn't a professional dancer, ignoring Valiant's stunned glance as he ghosted his lips over Vivian's glove, breath no doubt warming her hand in a strangely intimate manner.

" It is an absolute delight to make your acquaintance, my lady. I've heard so much about you already - please pardon my bluntness, but I must inquire about your father's health ? I heard that he wasn't well..."

Vivian blanched at the words, hearing the gloating thinly veiled under the false kindness :

" How very thoughtful of you " she replied cautiously. " He is well, thank you ; he did fell sick a while ago, but he quickly recovered, thanks to his wonderful physician. "

" I'm glad " Cenred stated, eyes twinkling with estranged mirth - as if he had a secret they burned to know about, but wouldn't tell them. " Do give him my best wishes of recovery, will you ? "

" Of course " Vivian answered. " I'm sure he'll be pleased. "

The sudden silence lingered a second too long, and Cenred slapped his forehead in mock outrage :

" I almost forgot ! Please do pardon me, dear. "

He smiled pleasantly at the woman accompanying him, who seemed to wear a permanent sneer on her face, the harsh glint of her eyes like that of an armor in the moonlight. Her heavy makeup - slightly smudged eyeliner on her eyes and burgundy lipstick on her too thin lips - complimented well enough her allure. Her dress, the same color as the lipstick, was audaciously cut without being too suggestive, but the lines of her face were hard. She didn't smile as Cenred introduced her :

" This is my partner, Morgause Gorlois. "

The woman fixed her hard, cold stare on Valiant, daring him to kiss her hand, and her sneer morphed into something vaguely resembling a smile when Valiant only nodded in acknowledgement.

The staring down prompted an amused laugh from Cenred, as if his partner's reaction was causing him the greatest joy. He raised the woman's hand to his own lips, and despite her obvious annoyance, she didn't pull away :

" Please do forgive her " he mock whispered. " She didn't want to come here in the first place. But I couldn't let her, she's such a wonderful player...Besides, I wouldn't be able to win without my lucky charm, would I ? "

The woman - Morgause - huffed at the endearment, taking matters into her own hand as she handed the doorman her card, who took it without comment.

As the light turned green on the machine, he turned expectantly toward the others, waiting for their cards. With a charming smile, Cenred handed his own and motioned for Valiant and Vivian to do the same, voice soft when he added :

" Those two are my guests ; they're coming with us. "

His tone became more agreeable as he added :

" The Excalibur room for the four of us, please. I do believe that our friends are already waiting for us, surely adding two more players wouldn't a problem ? "

The man looked awfully apologetic as he checked the screen on the machine, only to shake his head :

" I am terribly sorry, sir, but there are only three places left in Excalibur ; mister Tìr-Mòr has decided to join the game tonight. "

Cenred crunched his nose, not even trying to hide his displeasure at the inconvenience :

" Surely you must be able to do something ? " he asked, the command in his voice unmistakable.

" I'm afraid not, sir " the man replied - and he didn't even stutter, Valiant had to give him that. " All the other players have their own invitation, by mister Pendragon himself. I can't ask them to leave, sir. "

Cenred rubbed a tired hand over his eyes, exhaling a soft sigh :

" I guess it can't be helped " he said. " I would have loved to play with you, though. "

His sad, hopeful look was no doubt what prompted Vivian, in her inebriated state, to chime in :

" It's alright, really " she offered, " I'm in no state of playing anyway, I'd just en up losing my father's money, and he needs it for his treatment, so... "

Cenred sudden smile was like seeing the sun appear behind the clouds after a downpour.

" It would be very kind of you " he replied, almost fervently. " Please believe that I am sorry you can't come with us. "

Vivian smiled wanly at that, and started to turn on her heels, as if she wanted nothing more than to escape. After a few steps, however, she turned back, throwing Valiant a wink over her shoulder :

" Good luck, my Knight " she said, voice soft. " I very much wish for you to have the winning hand. "

Cenred shook his head as she stumbled away, looking fatalist.

" Women " he simply answered at Valiant's curious look. " It can't be helped. "

He sounded strangely wistful as he glanced at Morgause, and for the first time Valiant wondered if there wasn't some kind of true affection between the two lovers. Cenred, at least, seemed to care about his partner.

As the dark-haired man looked away from her, his gaze fell on Alvarr, who was fidgeting behind Valiant. His lips curled in distaste and he let out a derisive snort :

" I'm afraid your...friend will have to stay behind, too " he said, voice suddenly flat. " There is no place for such petty security measures at the table. "

Alvarr's face turned blotchy in anger, and Valiant took Cenred's remark to the heart - it wasn't as if he had a choice, anyway :

" Of course " he replied with false cheer.

He leaned in, murmuring orders to Alvarr's ear :

" Go. Ask around. See if you can find trace of Ewan. Learn as much things as you can on Pendragon. "

Without bothering to confirm that Alvarr had indeed heard him, Valiant turned his back on him, and nearly stopped short at Cenred knowing smirk : the man looked like a predator ready to pounce on his prey.

" Well then " Cenred asked, as if nothing had happened, " shall we ? "

***

As he followed the couple inside, the door closing behind them, Valiant couldn't help but wonder what was the reason behind Cenred's invitation. Why would such a man offer to spend time in his company, when they were fundamentally too different to exchange anything but polite words and convoluted innuendos ? Why would Cenred invite him for a game whose players were solely Arthur Pendragon's guests while it was obvious that Valiant was anything but ?

Cenred must have known that Valiant was planning to take down Arthur ; he must have had some idea behind his offer.

Yet Valiant couldn't for the life of him figure out which, mind reeling at the onslaught of possibilities. There were too many options to choose from, too many questions unanswered : who was Cenred De Essetir, exactly ? Valiant was certain he had heard the name before, but couldn't remember in what setting, exactly. Was he a businessman owning some of the ships that went through Valiant's territory ? Was he yet another mafia member trying to expand his influence ?

He wasn't a celebrity ; of that Valiant was certain. Valiant also very much doubted that Cenred was a politician or even a diplomat of some sort, and the implications behind the thought made a shiver run down Valiant's spine.

Whoever he was, Cenred was dangerous, and Valiant had just accepted to play with him.

Lost in thoughts, Valiant came to an abrupt halt when the couple walking in front of him stopped before a door, which was engraved with an ornate blade. Nearly bumping into the woman, Valiant took an uneasy step back. Morgause glared at him before slapping her card against the machine next to the door, the light turning green after a second. Huffing in displeasure, she went inside, stride purposeful, as Cenred motioned for Valiant to follow with a gracious swipe of his hand.

The door snapped shut with an ominous click behind them, but Valiant was too absorbed by the people in the room to notice. All the player were already sat around a traditional poker table, only three dispatched chairs remaining empty. As they entered, all the eyes turned toward them, and the faces that greeted Valiant were varying from bored to curious to downright hateful - the latter being the most startling, coming from the only woman around the table.

" Lancelot, my dear, how great it is to see you again ! "

Cenred's exclamation, awfully cheerful in the heavy silence that had engulfed the room, was directed at a handsome man in The Dragon's uniform - a game master, Valiant's mind supplied - with slightly tanned skin and kind brown eyes. His brown hair was falling over his shoulders, and as was the norm in such a setting, he was perfectly shaved.

" Mister De Essetir " the man replied with a soft smile, " it is a pleasure to have you back. "

The way the corner of his lips lift up made it look that a sun shining after days of rain - warm and welcoming. Even under the unnatural lights of the room, he was one of the most beautiful man Valiant had ever met, with a body sculpted like the ones of Greek gods and a charisma worthy of the greatest actors. That was a man, Valiant thought, that probably attracted lots of attention, though a different kind that Arthur most certainly did.

" I already told you " Cenred sighed, " please call me Cenred. We do know each other enough for that, don't we ? "

Lancelot gave an indulgent smile at Cenred's pouting :

" There are such things as rules in this casino, mister De Essetir. Avoiding any familiarity with the clients is one of them. "

Cenred waved his words away with an irritated hand :

" Of course, of course " he replied, narrowing his eyes when one of the players snorted. " I'll have to ask Arthur about that, won't I ? "

The game master shook his head with an amused twist of the lips, as if he was in front of a child throwing a tantrum after having been denied an ice-cream.

" Lady Gorlois, Mister Serclier, welcome at the Excalibur table. Please hand me your cards so I can register you for the game. "

Wrong-footed in front of the man unmistakable kindness, Valiant gave him his card with a numb hand, imitated by the couple accompanying him.

Cenred then turned to Valiant, a mischievous smile on his lips, before softly clapping his fingers on his palm, gathering the attention of the players on him rather than on Valiant :

" _Bonsoir_ , everyone ! May I present to you my guest for the evening, Valiant Serclier. He's a remarkable businessman - in his branch, anyway - and I hope you'll welcome him with as much warmth as you welcomed me. "

He head cocked to the side to underline his mockery - for Valiant, the latter was obvious, as the decidedly frosty glares Cenred was receiving were nothing like welcoming - and turned back to Valiant, purposefully oblivious :

" Valiant, my friend " he started in a way that made Valiant's skin crawl, " here are Arthur's Pendragon favored guests, _la crème de la crème_ and accordingly the best players currently in the casino : Godwyn Gawant, owner of most of Albion's newspapers and renown journalist - his daughter works here, you might see her in the great hall, sometimes. "

He indicated a tall man on Lancelot's right, his grey hair falling on his forehead, shirt wrinkled, and eyes so wide they made him look like an owl. He nodded at Valiant in acknowledgement, a curious, debonair expression on his features.

" Then there is Aulfric Tìr-Mòr, compulsive liar but great player, whose job is to oversee the traffic on the western coasts and the harbors. I must inform you, his daughter is the best woman choice if one wishes to marry. "

Aulfric had a round face, grey hair and a three days stubble on his chin. He was currently standing up, puffing in anger, his face red. He glared at Cenred, expression murderous :

" Stay the hell away from my daughter, or God help me I will end you ! "

His voice carried enough spite for Valiant to know that he meant it, but Cenred merely chuckled at the prospect :

" I'm so terribly sorry, dear friend, I wasn't implying that he should court her, only that she was a good prospect for marriage. "

Aulfric sat back down, slightly mollified, and Cenred threw a wry smile in Valiant's direction, continuing his introduction :

" You already know Morgause, of course, and this is Annis Caerleon, our lovely queen. Don't bother make a deal with a husband - she is the one who holds the business, even if she doesn't like it to be known. "

The woman, who had a stern, emaciated face and tarnished copper hair, was favoring Cenred with a contemptuous smile :

" And this is the reason, of course " she bit out, " you make it your favorite hobby to disclose that particular fact to everyone you meet. "

" Obviously " Cenred replied, a cunning smirk curling his lips. " Where would I get my fun, if not by upsetting you ? "

Valian would have taken a step back at the cold, fierce glare the woman cast in Cenred's direction, but he'd frozen in place after hearing Cenred's warning - because he had indeed made a deal with Annis Caerleon's husband, and it appeared that the latter, one of the most important, was void of meaning.

" Well, I bid you a warm welcome, mister Serclier " Annis said, the sharpness of her voice a stark contrast to Cenred's mellow one. " Any friend of Cenred is our friend, as they say. "

The steel of her eyes gave a new meaning to the title of queen she had been gifted with : this was a woman it was best not to offend. Valiant would have laughed at the very idea if the power she held hadn't been confirmed twice : first, by the fact that even Cenred's mirth had dimmed at the look she had thrown his direction ; and second, by the mention of her name as a footnote in on of Ewan's reports :

_Queen Annis : danger. Possible friend of Arthur. Keep close surveillance._

Valiant hadn't give it much thought then, when his eyes had skimmed over the report like a boring summary of a hated school subject. He understood better now, with the woman in front of him, what Ewan had meant.

" So this is you, mister Serclier, that calls himself the Knight of the Western Sea ? "

Annis' voice jarred Valiant out of his thoughts, cordial yet underlined with airy contempt. He gave her a forced smile, fighting to regain his composure :

" It is merely a title my friends favored me with, I guess its use grew along with my influence. "

There was a loud snort in the audience that startled an incredulous laugh out of Cenred :

" And this, my dear " he said as if he had been waiting for the occasion, " is the one and only master of cowardice, Alined Airenikos, whose job is best not discussed in public, even in circles such as ours. "

Appearing totally unfazed by Cenred's snide comment, the man raised a hairy eyebrow at Valiant :

" You seem well too confident in your appreciation of yourself " he remarked, " it will end up playing tricks on you. "

" As much as I would love to hear your advice on how to conduct my business " Valiant replied with a cold smile, " I doubt I would have much to learn from you. "

Alined threw his head back and laughed, openly gloating :

" Gods, Cenred, where did you find him ? " he asked, his tone a contemptuous drawl. " He's so pretentious I wonder how he hasn't torn his shoes yet. "

He turned back to Valiant :

" His ankles aren't too swollen, are they ? " he wondered aloud. " He can still walk ? "

" You seem well informed of the effects of arrogance " Valiant spat, fuming. " Isn't that right ? Talking is well and good, but when it comes to acting, I guess there is a reason you're called the master of cowardice. "

Alined blanched, and Cenred hastened to take back the control of the conversation :

" And finally " he stated, a little too loudly, " this is Bayard Tourroi - and yes, you're right, he is the one who owns most of the mines in Albion. He specializes in gems, though. Most of the stones decorating Pendragon's artifacts are a gift from him. "

Bayard was a man dressed in a perfectly tailored grey suit, though his matted grey beard and long hair clashed with the apparent wealth he displayed. His shirt, no doubt made of silk, was of a profound, rich blue, and there was an actual sapphire on the pendant he wore around his neck. He wasn't smiling, but his expression was neutral as he tilted his chin in Valiant's direction, the greeting informal.

" And then there's me " Cenred added as an afterthought, a little unhelpfully.

Valiant turned toward him and realized that Cenred was looking at him rather expectantly. Taking his cue, Valiant stared hard at each of the player before smiling coldly :

" Lady, gentlemen, I can say it is a pleasure to meet you " he proffered, not believing one word of it.

Until then absorbed in the background, fiddling with the cards and the poker chips while patiently waiting for the end of the introductions, Lancelot came forward, an incomprehensibly kind smile on his lips despite the tense atmosphere.

" Mister Serclier, mister De Essetir, if you could please take a seat so we'd begin. "

He indicated the last two remaining places with a swipe of his hand - Morgause hadn't waited to sit down - and they settled comfortably in the leather seats. Valiant, placed between Aulfric and Morgause, was the third on the game master's left, and it's with unabashed curiosity that he detailed the other players around the table, trying to decipher their expressions.

As Lancelot evenly disposed the chips in front of each player, he noticed from the corner of his eyes the seething look Annis was giving Cenred, and he wondered what the feud between them was about. The dark-haired man, smiling cockily, didn't seem to care at all, and he even waved amiably at Valiant as Lancelot settled in his seat.

Valiant was receiving his fair share of looks, too, as he was apparently the only unknown variable in the game. No one knew him - not personally, at least - and Valiant could almost hear their thoughts as they wondered what he was doing here and what he was capable of.

The idea made a smirk blossom on his lips : here, among the ones who were undoubtedly the secret rulers of Albion, he was finally finding his marks.

The game started with a one thousand pounds in the pot, the amount of money so ridiculously low for the players involved that no one batted an eyelid when the first of them, Godwyn, doubled it. As it was Aulfric's turn to fold, call or raise, Alined's voice piped up, his curiosity well enough masked by his obvious displeasure at Valiant's presence :

" So, mister Serclier. Our friend here " he said, pointing at Cenred, " didn't tell us exactly. What is it that you do for a living ? "

Every single one of the players knew, of course, but they wanted to hear it from Valiant himself, and he didn't want to give them the pleasure. He waved a hand about, carefully holding his two cards in the other :

" But he did say, Mister...what was it already ? "

" Airenikos " Alined replied, wrinkling his nose.

" Airenikos " Valiant repeated smoothly. " I am a...businessman of sorts. I own most of the Western Islands. "

He played, raising the pot to three thousand while letting his answer linger for a second, the silence hinting at the truth - that he did, in fact, own all the Western Islands.

Morgause chose to call, followed by Annis. Unsurprisingly, Alined folded, but Bayard flippantly threw a five hundred chip along with the rest.

" If you're a businessman, then you must have a specialty " Alined then stated in a sweet, almost honeyed tone. " I wonder what it might be ? "

The question made a lopsided smile twist Cenred's lips, and it's with full blown grin that Valiant answered :

" Piracy. "

Godwyn nearly choked on his breath, blinking owlishly at Valiant. Cenred's mouth opened in shock - not at the idea itself but at Valiant's bluntness :

" Valiant, dear God ! This isn't a term to use in such company. Are you really that uncivilized ? "

Valiant opened his mouth to answer, but Annis cut him off :

" You're the one to talk " she snorted, raising a thin eyebrow in Cenred's direction.

She then turned to Valiant, features void of all expression but eyes stormy :

" What does a man specialized in " piracy ", as you said, would want to do with a businessman such as Arthur Pendragon ? "

" We have an...agreement to settle on " Valiant replied.

When he noticed that Valiant wasn't about to add anything, Cenred shook his head :

" Now, now, don't play coy " he pleaded, " do tell us. What's so important that you must come all the way to The Dragon to discuss with its owner ? "

A snort escaped from Annis' lips, and it's with a frosty voice that she added :

" Let's ask instead, what would Arthur Pendragon accept to discuss with you ? A child playing at being a Knight, trying to take down a King. It's laughable. "

" You seem to be very confident in your so called King's power, my lady " Valiant answered after a long silence, voice soft. " I'm afraid I'll have to take him down from his pedestal. "

" And how do you plan to do that ? " Aulfric asked, following Godwyn's call.

" I own the sea " Valiant shrugged, very deliberately raising the bet.

Morgause followed, as did Annis, her eyes locked on Valiant. Alined gave a small smile and imitated Valiant, features expectant as he stared down Cenred :

" And how, exactly, you owning the sea is relevant to you seeing Pendragon ? " he asked Valiant, voice mild, despite his eyes being fixed, unwavering, on Cenred.

" Fold " Bayard grunted, angrily twisting his fingers in his beard.

Cenred thoughtfully clicked the chips together, a slow smile appearing on his lips.

" Mister De Essetir ? " Lancelot called.

The latter followed Alined, eyes twinkling :

" Let me guess " he answered Alined, " he's the one who overseas the traffic. Which means that without his say so, Arthur's ships are docked. Isn't that right, Valiant ? "

" It might be " Valiant replied, mocking, as the players started showing their cards.

His answer prompted a laugh from Cenred :

" That explains a lot " he stated. " I was wondering why he insisted so much on my presence here, I guess it's as good a reason as any. I was afraid it would be some kind of dodgy business, you know how Arthur can be. "

He shrugged a shoulder, not bothering to offer further explanations. It was as if the matter didn't hold that much importance to him, and was more an afterthought than a real subject of discussion.

" It's true that you are such a saint yourself " Annis chimed in, lips locked in a disdainful smile.

Cenred opened his mouth to answer, mock affronted, but the grass was cut under his feet as Lancelot butted in :

" Ladies, gentlemen. "

His voice was clear, his call for order unmistakable. Despite his subdued attitude during the game, sticking to his job, he hadn't hesitated to interrupt them, and the game continued rather smoothly after that. Quick jabs and acerbic words were constantly flying over the table, Annis and Alined being the specialists, but Lancelot was doing an admirable job at keeping them in line.

Half an hour or so after the game started, two players had already retired : Bayard, who had left the room with a grumbled goodbye, and Aulfric, who had lost pretty early on, his face way too expressive for one who liked to play poker. The latter had slammed the door behind him, without much effect : the hinge had been specially crafted to prevent the panel from making any noise while sliding shut.

Only six players were left in the game.

Despite the lack of drinks - a waiter had come to ask them if they wanted anything, but they had unanimously waved him away - and of entertainment - there was no music, not even the one filtering from the main hall - Valiant was thoroughly enjoying himself.

As it turned out, not all of Arthur's guests were his friends. Listening intently to the conversations taking place, seldom participating, Valiant learned that if Godwyn was an old acquaintance of Arthur's father and, conveniently, the one controlling the public exposition of the businessman's life ; Aulfric hated the Pendragons with a passion, and had more than once tried to take Arthur down while using his daughter as bait.

Bayard, withdrawn and steady in his manners, had kept his opinion for himself, but judging by the way he spoke of his business, he was a close partner to the Pendragons and must have, as such, at least some respect for Arthur. On the other hand, Alined was quite contrary in his affirmations : he seemed to despise the Pendragons, yet had hinted more than once that he wouldn't mind having a go at Arthur and " a piece of his glorious arse ".

Annis' mouth had scrunched up in distaste at the words, which was understandable : Alined was a good thirty years older than Arthur, and his too squared face, thick features and hairy eyebrows all added together didn't render him very attractive. Besides, he had an air of profound dishonesty about him, only enhanced by the way he was playing - Cenred didn't call him the master of cowardice for nothing.

Morgause, unsurprisingly, hadn't uttered a word through the entire game that wasn't related to it, but it was Annis that puzzled Valiant most : she seemed to be fiercely protective of the young Pendragon, wearing the silver pin with unmasked pride, and spoke about him with a respect that ran too deep for Valiant to comprehend.

Valiant couldn't reconcile the man he had met and sent to his knees with the picture depicted by the Caerleon queen : he had seen with his own eyes that Arthur was nothing of the strong, highly intelligent, charismatic and powerful man the woman thought him to be. What was even more disconcerting was the fact that they all seemed to agree on it : the man that they liked to call a king wasn't that easily subdued.

The way they had laughed in Valiant's face when he had told them about Arthur's surrender had made blood boil in Valiant's veins, but he had kept his anger in check under Lancelot's watchful eyes. It wasn't like their opinion mattered anyway : Arthur Pendragon wouldn't hold for long such a high place in their esteem, and their own confidence would be their downfall.

The only one that Valiant couldn't fathom was Cenred himself. The dark-haired mas had an easy, if cocky, smile, and impeccable manners and appeared nearly kind at times, yet Valiant could see in his eyes than he was anything but.

This side of Cenred's personality was obvious in the way he was playing, mercilessly robbing the other players of their confidence in their hands : despite his clear experience in the game, Godwyn fell for Cenred's bluff, and soon enough Alined followed.

For the last hand, there was only Valiant, Morgause, Annis and Cenred left in the game. Despite her aloofness, Morgause was definitely a skilled player, as was Annis and her ruthless manners. The four players were staring at each other, faces carefully blank, except for Cenred, who was smirking, eyes twinkling with barely concealed mirth.

" Four players " Lancelot announced.

He carefully settled four cards on the table in front of him : ace of heart, followed by eight, six and four of spades. After a round of checks, he added one more card, the ace of spades. Cenred checked, and Valiant flicked his gaze at him before pushing all his chips on the table :

" All-in " he stated, voice clear. " Six thousand. "

Morgause smirked on his left, the twist of her lips making her look like a cat that had caught the cream. She followed Valiant's lead, showing a hand with five fingers raised :

" Five thousand, all-in " Lancelot dutifully announced. " The bet is six thousand. "

Annis was thoughtfully playing with her chips, but it's with a sure hand that she gathered them :

" Raise " she called, voice hard.

" Raise " the game master confirmed. " Twelve thousand. Heads up. "

A heavy silence fell on the table, as all the players were retaining their breath. Annis wasn't smiling as she stared at Cenred's face, steely eyes unrelenting even as she was rolling a chip between her slender fingers.

Cenred stayed silent for a long while, to the point of making Lancelot fidget, a tad uncomfortable at the show of dominance. Then, he carelessly threw his chips on the table, as if getting rid of annoying possessions :

" Fourteen thousand and five hundred, all-in " he called with a confident smile.

He then leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, a pleased expression on his face. Annis nodded curtly, as if she had been expecting his move, yet the way her eyes darted to the side showed that she was a bit thrown off by the gesture. She checked her cards and let out an amused chuckle, smile widening :

" Well, dear, I think I will call you on that one " she announced, making a show of pushing every single chip on the table, dropping the last one with mock flourish.

" Call " Lancelot stated, eyes intent. " Ladies, gentlemen, show down please. "

The first to play was Valiant, and it's uncertain that he handed his cards to Lancelot : a king and a queen.

" Flush " Lancelot announced, moving the cards. " Ace, king, queen. "

Valiant turned to Morgause, an expectant look on his features, as the woman threw neglectfully two eights on the table, a full, satisfied smirk stretching her painted lips.

" Full house " Lancelot called.

With two aces and three eights, Morgause's hand trumped Valiant's, yet he couldn't find it in himself to be disappointed : he was way more interested in the game played by Annis and Cenred.

The queen paused a second before very deliberately revealing her hand : a six and an ace.

" Higher full house " Lancelot announced, his practiced aloofness allowing him to remain totally unfazed by the turn of events.

Annis flicked her gaze at Morgause then Valiant, lips bowing in a soft smile at Morgause's sneer. She then looked back at Cenred, an eyebrow raised, sure of her victory.

" Mister De Essetir ? " Lancelot asked.

Cenred winked at Valiant before blowing a kiss at his partner, smiling to himself. His composure dissolved in chuckles that quickly turned into full blown giggles, as if he was a schoolgirl in front of an embarrassing crush.

A satisfied expression on his face, he then turned his cards : a five and a seven.

" Five and seven of spades " Lancelot stated without blinking. " A straight flush ; four to eight. "

Concern clear in his brown eyes, Lancelot nodded cautiously in Cenred's direction :

" The high hand. Mister De Essetir wins " he announced.

Annis stood up gracefully, face livid, a hateful grimace twisting her lips. She left the room without a backward glance, letting a heavy silence blanket the room as the door closed behind her with an audible click.

With a sly smile and a hint of pride in the roll of his shoulders, Cenred slid the equivalent of five thousand pounds to the game master :

" For you, dear " he said carelessly, voice warm. " It's been a while since I had such a fascinating game, your talent is astounding as ever. "

" I can't accept that, sir " Lancelot replied. " I could be fired for corruption. "

" I truly must ask Arthur about those rules of his " Cenred stated, an irritated hitch in his voice. " It's starting to become ridiculous. "

He nodded thoughtfully, scratching his chin. A sudden smile stretched his lips, that Valiant would nearly qualify as cold :

" You'd better keep it though " he said. " Besides, I heard you and your wife are expecting, I'll tell Arthur it's just my gift for the baby. "

Cenred's answer made Lancelot's features lit up, yet Valiant couldn't help but think that there was something off about it, as if a cloud had covered his usual sunny demeanor.

" Thank you, mister De Essetir. You're too kind. "

The game master stood up, readjusting the red pin on his shirt. With a smile, he handed back the red cards to the three remaining players, before starting to gather the chips, preparing the table for another game, only looking up to answer Cenred's goodbye.

***

Valiant followed the couple back into the great hall, the bright light nearly blinding him after the more subdued ones from the game room. He blinked a few times to adjust, answering Cenred's smirk with a forced smile.

" Well, mister De Essetir, it's been a pleasure. "

" Likewise " Cenred replied, winking at Valiant. " I hope we'll be able to have a rematch soon. "

" I just have one question, though " Valiant asked as an afterthought - as if the words hadn't been on the verge of falling from his lips since the beginning of the game.

" But certainly ! " Cenred exclaimed graciously. " I'm listening. "

He cocked his head to the side, curious. Valiant pursued his lips, carefully choosing his words :

" Do you know where Arthur Pendragon went when he disappeared from the surface of the earth, all those years ago ? "

Cenred blinked at him, the sudden unease foreign in the black of his irises :

" I'm afraid I don't " he replied carefully. " He became, for all intent and purpose, a ghost. I doubt anyone but his closest friends know where he was. "

He let a pregnant pause unfurled, and then :

" It certainly is a mystery. Arthur is a fascinating character, don't you think ? So secretive, yet an open book for anyone who knows how to read him. "

He stared in the distance for a second, face carefully void of emotions, before shrugging off his discomfort :

" I must admit, Valiant " he stated with a newfound smile, " that you made quite an impression on me. I may or not have an interest in your claim over the sea ; if your plan with Arthur turns out as expected, come find me. I'm sure we could settle on an agreement. "

He shook Valiant's hand in goodbye, and his earnest expression soured when he caught sight of Alvarr hovering around.

" Enjoy your evening " he said disdainfully before disappearing into the crowd, Morgause in tow.

Anger churning inside him at the derisive snort, Valiant didn't even reply at Cenred's last words. He snapped his fingers at Alvarr, who dutifully walked closer, face closed off but standing straight :

" So, what did you find out ? " Valiant asked.

His mind was still reeling with all the information he had absorbed during the game, and he felt the beginning of a headache pound behind his eyelids. The ideas were swarming in his head like a bunch of annoying insects, and he burned to know more about Arthur. He needed to confirm his first impressions of the man - to know that he hadn't been wrong in his assumptions.

Alvarr started his report, a little uneasy :

" I did as you asked, snooped around, asked questions. Ewan is well and truly gone : no one seems to have seen him in the last week or so. Not the waiters, not the game masters, not even the few helpful clients. It's like he plainly disappeared. "

" Alright " Valiant said, breathing through his nose. " About the employees, they truly have no idea about what happened ? Ewan was one of them, he must have gotten close with someone, anyone ! "

He was starting to lose patience, and his raised voice attracted the clearly unwanted attention from other clients.

" That's a possibility, sir " Alvarr answered uneasily. " All the employees have a room for themselves inside the castle itself, where they can spend the night if they work late, but I couldn't get to them : the security didn't let me pass, even after I said that I was a friend of the man who had disappeared and wanted to see his room. "

" Of course " Valiant muttered, pinching his nose - he hadn't expected anything different. " What about Pendragon ? Anything interesting ? "

" Afraid not " was Alvarr cursory reply. " The members of the staff kept their mouths shut. They seem loyal to a fault. "

" What about the other clients ? " Valiant demanded, bitterness twisting his voice into something ugly. " Were they oh, so admirative of the great, grand King of Camelot ? "

Alvarr's wince was enough of an answer, but the bodyguard replied anyway, in short, clipped sentences :

" They all agree on one thing : Arthur Pendragon could take over the world if he wished to. They seem to believe that he holds that much power. Yet no one knows him well. He's described as distant, almost secretive. He's married, but he and his partner are seldom seen together. He doesn't appear to have a lot of close friends, but if I understood well most of them work here. "

Valiant pursued his lips, annoyed at the lack of answers. The painful inadequacies of his knowledge was put in sharp relief by what he had learned at the poker game. The realization numbed the tingle of victory left by Arthur's near surrender. If he truly wanted to put Arthur to his knees, Valiant needed to learn more about the man. If he wasn't careful, the young Pendragon could very well try to earn back his empire, and despite being less than the king Valiant had come to expect, a Prince, arrogant at that, could still become a danger in the long term.

With that in mind, Valiant purposefully walked to the bar at the center of the room, intent on holding Vivian to her promise. He didn't exactly want to join her - drunk blondes weren't his favorites - but the woman had clearly stated earlier that she was a regular customer in The Dragon. As such, she must have met its owner quite a few times, and probably other interesting clients as well.

If he could get her to talk...

It's with no small amount of relief that Valiant spotted her blond hair and purple dress, as she was seated on one of the high stools cushioned with red leather that rounded the bar. On her left, a scruffy looking man with a three-days stubble was sprawled over the counter, a glass half full in his hand, seemingly passed out ; on her right, a few meters away, a lithe woman with flowers in her hair was gracefully ordering a drink, her smile too wide to be honest as the blonde bartender pushed her red card toward her, her glass in tow.

Straightening at Valiant's arrival, Vivian let a small smile grace her lips as she angled her body toward him, waiting for him to be settled on her left, next to the drunkard. She crossed her ankles in a suggestive manner, her awfully uncomfortable looking shoes laced high on her calf, and leaned toward Valiant :

" So " she asked, voice almost intimate, " how was it ? "

An empty glass was dangling from her fingers and she was slurring quite heavily, even less articulate than before.

" It was interesting, to say the least " Valiant replied with a false smile. " And quite intense, I must admit. This Cenred De Essetir is hard to fathom. "

Vivian's lips curled in some kind of grimace as her gaze flicked to the blonde bartender :

" He's a full blow bastard, you can say it " she hiccuped.

The blunt answer startled a laugh out of Valiant :

" You don't seem to like him " he noted, stating the obvious.

Vivian shrugged a shoulder :

" I don't. "

" And why is that ? " Valiant asked, curious.

The blonde let out a sharp, mirthless laugh :

" He tried to kill my father " she answered, very plainly. " I don't see how I could like him after that. "

Her harsh tone was an abrupt contrast to her careless demeanor ; despite the itch of curiosity, Valiant wisely chose to drop the subject : after all, Cenred wasn't the object of his interest.

Arthur was.

" I may not have won the poker game " Valiant started, " but I'm feeling like celebrating. After all, I'll soon own Pendragon's empire. "

Vivian's stormy eyes twinkled at the words :

" I would love to see that " she purred. " I hope you'll have your answer soon. "

" I'm sure " Valiant answered flippantly. " Once he's done with his conversation, he'll come back to me. In the meantime, can I offer you a drink ? "

The blonde woman froze for a split second, avoiding his gaze, but she nodded her assent nonetheless :

" With pleasure. "

Despite the numerous clients, one of the bartender immediately came to them when Valiant snapped his fingers. The Knight instantly recognized the dark-haired man from earlier, with his tall figure and slender built. The bartender stumbled on thin air as he walked to their side of the bar, and awkwardly caught himself on the blonde bartender's shoulder. The latter didn't seem to mind, and barely glanced at him, not even interrupting her service.

Soon enough the dark-haired man was in front of them, allowing Valiant to detail him at length.

What first caught his attention was that despite his perfectly ironed uniform - white shirt, red waistcoat, pressed trousers - the man wasn't wearing any pin. Of all the people Valiant had seen since entering the castle, he was the only one not to have a dragon on his chest. His shirt was bare where there should have been a red pin, marking his rank, and yet no one seemed to notice, carrying on working like it was nothing.

That particular show of carelessness - or of stupidity, Valiant wasn't sure - would have him fired on the spot were Valiant his employer. His natural clumsiness and lack of charm - if the way he was scowling as Valiant ordered yet another complicated drink for himself was any indication - made him a poor choice for a bartender.

The thought made Valiant smirk, and his eyes raked over the man's lean frame. Once Pendragon would hand over the control of The Dragon, the bartender was sure to lose his position, but Valiant could offer him another one - one that didn't involve handling expensive bottles.

With a mind of its own, Valiant's gaze fell, hungry, on the bartender's face. The man was a gorgeous specimen, if in an unconventional way. Tall and well muscled - Valiant could see his biceps shifting under his shirt - with broad shoulders and a tapered waist, he wouldn't be out of place in a model contest, and his face alone was like the work of an antique master who had sculpted his features in marble.

Lust stirring low in his belly, Valiant stared unabashedly at the high cheekbones, so sharp the Knight was sure they could cut glass ; at the bright eyes, blue like bottomless oceans ; at the full, lush lips that Valiant wouldn't mind seeing wrapped around his cock.

The image sent a bolt of arousal through Valiant's groin, his fantasies getting more detailed in the second.

He would take him on his bed, Valiant decided. Completely naked, the man would rest on his front, unable to touch himself while Valiant would part his arsecheeks open, revealing the hidden taint. He would open him up with cursory fingers, with just enough lube to make it pleasurable for himself, and relentlessly press on the man's prostate until he'd beg to be taken.

He would scream as Valiant would push in in one, sure stroke, hands grasping at the sheets and incoherent curses falling out of his open mouth, and Valiant would come, cock bare, in the bartender's arse while seeing his shaft disappear again and again in the hungry hole.

Staring lustfully at the very arse he was fantasizing about, surprisingly pert for a man that was all lean lines and sharp angles, Valiant decided the the bartender would be his : he would have him, take him roughly, use him so much that he would be useless with Valiant's seed leaking out of his fucked out hole.

The fact that the bartender was a man didn't bother Valiant in the least : while he had had his fair share of women, his preferences had always leaned more toward men - it wasn't by chance that he had chosen Ewan as a lover, after all. The men were usually much more capable of enduring a hard pounding than any woman he'd met, and their groans of mingled pain and pleasure were in Valiant's opinion much more satisfactory to hear than the high pitched, whorish moans of women.

" Are you alright ? "

Vivian's question abruptly pulled Valiant out of his thought, and he belatedly realized that his cock was diamond hard inside his pants.

" I'm fine " he managed, a little breathless.

Vivian didn't seem convinced, but she carefully chose to keep her mouth shut as the object of Valiant's desire came back with the drinks, settling the cocktails in front of them.

Making sure of brushing his fingers against the bartender's slender hands, Valiant grabbed his own and smiled :

" To the fall of an empire " he toasted before taking a sip, the pleasant warmth of alcohol spreading inside him.

" To your victory " Vivian added with a wink, smearing a bit of her makeup on the glass.

They drank for a few seconds in silence, Valiant eyeing the dark-haired man, imagining his hands fisted in the raven locks, pulling his head back to mouth at the pale column of his neck.

Reigning in his thoughts - he did have a reason for being there, after all - Valiant turned to Vivian :

" Tell me, my lady, you said yourself that you were a regular here, correct ? "

The blonde nodded, but before she could answer, another voice piped up, full of disdain :

" Of course she is. Rich men buying her drinks, influential politicians ogling her breasts, what else could she wish for ? "

The woman who'd talked was the one with flowers in her hair, seated on Vivian's right. Her lips were curled in amusement, but the glint in her eyes was cold as she stared down Vivian.

" Shut up, Sophia " the blonde bit out harshly.

" Or what " the other replied, mocking, " you'll bore me to death with your sermon ? "

Eyes flashing, Vivian made to stand but Valiant caught her arm :

" Please don't bother " he murmured. " Or is she worth your attention ? "

Vivian sniffed at that, slightly mollified, and turned her back on the woman, smiling at Valiant :

" You were saying ? " she asked, deliberately dropping her gaze to Valiant's mouth in an enticing manner.

" I was wondering, my lady, if you would by any chance know Arthur personally ? "

Vivian leaned back on her stool and cocked her head to the side, puzzled :

" Of course not " she replied with an indulgent chuckle. " No one does. "

At Valiant's raised eyebrow, she added :

" He may seem kind and open, but that's just an impression he gives. Truth is, he's unreachable. I mean, even I don't know him that well, and God knows I tried. "

" Of course you tried " the women to their right said, interrupting them yet again. " You've been dreaming to kiss him stupid since you first wetted your panties. "

The woman's bluntness reaped a strangle laugh from Valiant's throat, which he quickly stamped on : he doubted Vivian would talk to him further if she caught him mocking her.

" As if you've never wished to do the same " Vivian replied, tone acerbic. " After all, I'm not the one always following him around, panting after him like an overeager _pup_. "

The woman's eyes opened wide at the insult and her braided hair fell behind her back as she stood up, nose flaring in anger.

" Please, ladies " intervened the blonde bartender, placid. " Don't make me call for security so early in the night. "

" I don't understand " Valiant quickly chimed in, trying to defuse the tension. " Two beautiful women like you, how can it be that Arthur Pendragon doesn't indulge in your desires ? "

Sophia scoffed :

" You're planning to write a biography about him or what ? It's very sad, I know, but Pendragon's taken. Married, actually. And disgustingly faithful. "

Sarcasm was dripping from her voice, and she didn't pay Vivian any mind as the latter tried to place a retort.

" It's true that I doubt the woman he married would take well being cheated on " Valiant admitted. " But in front of you both, I don't think I could have that kind of restraint. "

He was hoping to flatter both women with his remark, but his tentative fell flat as Sophia snorted, the sound loud and totally unladylike :

" Woman ? What on earth gave you this idea ? "

Sophia's lips twisted sideways at his stunned expression, his reflexes too slow to hide his natural reaction :

" You didn't know that ? " she wondered aloud, voice disdainful. " Pendragon's gay as a rainbow, he wouldn't touch a woman to save his life. "

" It's not because he doesn't want to sleep with you that he's gay " Vivian intervened, voice sharp like a shard of ice.

Her fervor had weakened, Valiant noticed - and apparently, so did Sophia :

" Oh, spare me your righteous anger, _please_ " she said, rolling her eyes. " You know as well as I do that he loves men. He married one, for fuck's sake ! "

Without waiting for Vivian's answer, the other woman turned to Valiant :

" Bad boy didn't do his homework " she remarked with a smirk, contempt filling her voice like venom. " You really should have, it would have spared you some troubles. "

She sighed, perfectly manicured finger rhythmically clicking on the counter, following the tempo of the music still playing in the background.

" If you're wondering, his husband is a beauty " she stated, sighing wistfully. " I mean, his ears are a bit of a turn off, but apart from that... "

" What about Mithian ? " Valiant asked, effectively cutting her off. " He called her his partner, surely...

Sophia threw her head back in a high-pitched laugh, and Valiant noticed that Vivian suddenly looked awfully uncomfortable :

" Oooh, this is too good " Sophia crowded, wiping her eyes with a delicate hand. " Mithian isn't Arthur's wife ! Are you really that ignorant ? "

Before Valiant could answer the question, she flicked her gaze to a fidgeting Vivian, waving her hand around as if wanting to get rid of an annoying insect :

" Of course you didn't know " she sighed. " Mithian Nemeth isn't Arthur Pendragon's wife " she repeated, " she's his lawyer. "

During his ascent in the Western Island's mafia, Valiant had met numerous dangerous people, and had extracted himself from many dire situations. He knew that he wasn't the most intelligent of men, but his instincts had never lied to him. His sort of sixth sense had saved him an indefinite number of times, and it was only thanks to it that he had survived to become the renown Knight of the Western Sea.

This is why, upon hearing the word lawyer, Valiant felt a cold shiver run down his spine. He froze, the gears starting to turn inside his head. Why would Pendragon present her as his partner when she obviously wasn't ? As he remembered the way the woman had touched her hair, her left hand bare of rings, he cursed himself for not having realized the implications earlier. If Mithian was indeed a lawyer, why would Pendragon need to see her right before finalizing the deal ? She wouldn't be of any help in the type of business they were conducting - namely, an illegal one. Then why...

He suddenly felt a reassuring hand on his shoulder, heavy as Vivian had fallen deeper into her alcohol induced haze :

" Don't worry " she whispered in his ear, breath smelling of expensive whiskey. " Your deal is safe. Mithian's father is the one who took the reigns of Uther's law firm, I'm sure Arthur's only trying to minimize his losses. "

Or at least, that's what Valiant understood from her slurring speech.

The blonde winked at him and Valiant nodded, sighing as his surge of adrenaline receded. He cursed under his breath, suddenly feeling like a fool for having surrendered to panic for so little. It was the game, he decided, that had robbed him of his confidence. While leaving Arthur Pendragon's office, he had been certain of the man's powerlessness. But now, after having heard the comments of the players, he couldn't be so sure.

Was Arthur truly the King they depicted, or was he, as Valiant had noticed for himself, a lost boy trying to live up to his father's expectations ?

Anger started to curl in Valiant's veins, its tendrils sickly sweet like poisoned wine. He felt the sudden urge to lash out and hit something. Why wasn't Pendragon done with his lawyer already ? Their meeting had started more than one hour ago, and they seemed to still be at it. What the hell were they doing ?

Feeling himself clench his fingers, Valiant realized that he was losing control. Every sound around him was starting to grit on his nerves : the glass bottles being set on the bar, Vivian's mumbling, the clicking of Sophia's nails, the music, the ambient chatter, Alvarr's fidgeting, the scruffy man's heavy breathing...

He needed to unwind. Fast. He couldn't afford to let go now, in such company, at the very heart of Arthur Pendragon's domain.

***

Luckily, Valiant knew exactly where to find a distraction. His eyes fell on the dark-haired bartender, who was serving a couple of clients near Sophia. His cock hardened uncomfortably when his fantasies came back full force, and in a split second, Valiant had made up his mind.

He whistled sharply, making the man jump, startled. As he was currently the only one on their side of the bar, the bartender had no choice but coming to them, smiling gingerly. He simply nodded as Valiant ordered his drink and took his card between slender fingers, turning his back on them for a second before setting a glass on the counter, expression intent.

When the bartender started to pour his drink, Valiant purposefully knocked over the glass, before shying away from the liquid as it dripped from the counter.

" Look at what you've done ! " he exclaimed harshly, despite it being obvious that it wasn't the bartender's fault. " I'm going to need a new shirt now. "

Displeasure evident in his voice, he turned his gaze back on the blue-eyed man, his shirt perfectly dry.

" I hope you're going to pay for the replacement, or it's on a bench you'll be sleeping tomorrow night " he threatened, voice flat and blue eyes unforgiving in the lights of the bar.

" I am sorry, sir " the bartender replied through clenched teeth. " I will clean this up immediately. As for your shirt, The Dragon's staff will of course provide you with a new one. "

Dismayed that the man's reaction wasn't what he had expected - profuse apologies and begging for forgiveness - Valiant grabbed his arm in a snake-like move. He relished for a second in the bartender's wide-eyed expression, before letting a smirk lift one corner of his lips :

" Come on, boy, I'm sure your beloved boss has better things to do than taking care of that. Besides, I doubt he would be very pleased with you, seing what you've done. "

" My beloved boss wouldn't care about your shirt, sir, as he has the means to buy hundreds of them without batting an eyelid " the bartender replied when he realized that Valiant had no intention of letting him go. " But as much as I would love discussing with you, I'm afraid I have a job to do. If you could please let me go, sir, so I could get back to it. Unless you want me to fetch you a new shirt now ? "

The blue eyes were boring into him, and Valiant realized with no small amount of pleasure that the man wasn't afraid of him. Oh, he would teach him, but he'd always liked boys who had quite a mouth on them - even more so if it was one so pretty as the bartender's.

His attention snapped to the side when he heard a woman giggle. It was Sophia, of course. Eyes twinkling, she had a hand on her mouth, trying and failing to stiffle the sound. Knowing he was being mocked, Valiant tightened his hold on the man's arm, making him wince :

" There's no need to bother Pendragon with such a mundane thing, you know " Valiant stated, his thumb gently caressing the man's forearm, where his sleeves were rolled up. " But I can't let this go unpunished " he added, gesturing at his shirt.

" Leave the poor man alone, will you ? " Vivian suddenly chimed in, a frown pulling at her brow.

The bartender flicked his gaze to her, grateful, but the gesture only made Valiant more determined : the people needed to understand that Arthur Pendragon wasn't the one in command anymore - Valiant was.

" I could ask for money or free beverages, of course " Valiant added. " But you're such a gorgeous, gorgeous thing. I'm sure there's another way you can repay me. "

The man startled as Valiant's smile turned positively lewd. He looked puzzled for a second, then flushed bright red when he understood what kind of payment, exactly, Valiant's remark implied.

" I will do no such thing " he exclaimed, indignant.

He tried to shake Valiant off, to no avail. The latter didn't seem unfazed by his reaction ; quite the opposite, actually. Spurred on by the man's reluctance, blood singing, Valiant relaxed his vice-like hold relaxing into a caress - as if he was petting a dog.

" It's a pity, really " he stated, voice overly soft. " If you were mine already, you'd be wearing a collar right now. To remind you of your place. "

The bartender blanched at both the words and the gesture, their meanings clear. He opened his mouth to answer, the round of its shape and the shock of tongue teasing the seams of his lips making Valiant leer. He would take this man, he decided. The fact that he might not be willing was irrelevant : the brunet would end up stretched on his cock, whether he wanted it or not.

It was only a matter of time.

" Sir ! " a masculine voice suddenly called. " Merlin, sir ! "

The bartender's face closed off abruptly, his whole body coiling like a spring. His eyes darted to the side, sliding over the scruffy man's frame, before snapping back to the young waiter that appeared in Valiant's line of sight, hurrying to the bar. He must have just started working at The Dragon, Valiant thought, as the boy's steps were unsure and his gait rigid.

The waiter exhaled deeply as he reached them, slightly breathless, and looked at the bartender with puppy brownish eyes :

" Sir, I finally managed to find you ! "

The formal address made Valiant frown as he let go of his hold on the bartender's arm. Was the bartender so entitled that he made his coworkers call him like he owned the place or something ? The waiter and him should be equals, not one above the other in the hierarchy.

A curious look ghosted over the boy's round face, quickly turning dismayed when the bartender snapped at him :

" Gilli " he hissed, blue eyes glinting with something akin to fear, " get lost. "

The boy's eyes widened in incomprehension, and he nervously fiddled with his red pin.

" Sir, I only... " he stammered.

" Gilli ! "

The waiter startled, the bartender's voice like a slap on his cheek. Would they have been in another setting, Valiant would have expected the boy to start crying : he looked exactly like a kid some teacher was berating for talking in class while he was actually innocent. The waiter bit a trembling lip, upset by the injustice.

It took Valiant a second to notice that the entire atmosphere on their side of the bar had tensed. The blonde bartender had frozen behind the counter, eyes intent on them, while Vivian was watching the exchange with rapt attention, gnawing at her glossed lips. Sophia, eyes cast down, seemed not to care at all about them, yet there was an unmistakable smile on her lips, too mocking to be innocent.

Even the scruffy looking man had sluggishly raised his head, blood shot eyes set on them.

" But Sir, you forgot your pin ! " the waiter, Gilli, exclaimed, open hand shooting in the bartender's direction, earnest like a child who wanted nothing more than to prove his teacher wrong.

Eyes widening in panic, the dark-haired man covered the proffered pin in a whip-like move, but it was too late : Valiant had seen it. And it was a dragon, just like any other, but it was one made of gold, and Valiant had seen only one man wearing that particular color.

Arthur Pendragon himself.

The realization came crashing down on Valiant. The facts he'd learned perfectly added together : Arthur Pendragon was married. According to Sophia - and Vivian hadn't denied it - he was married to a man. The boy, Gilli, was weirdly obsequious with a man that should be his equal. Vivian was looking at him with a hint of fear in her eyes. Sophia was smirking, way too pleased at the turn of event. The blue-eyed bartender looked terrified.

But what was even more damning was the pin. The fact that the man could get away with not wearing it, and that none of the security members that Valiant knew off had reprimanded him. The fact that his pin was the only one whose color matched the one worn by _the bloody owner of the casino_.

" You're... " he breathed out, eyes wide.

Sophia chortled :

" May I introduce you to Merlin Emrys " she said with mock flourish, tone joyful. " Wonderful bartender, bendy boytoy, insane player. Congratulations ! You just hit on Arthur Pendragon's husband. "

She smirked, not even faltering at Vivian's glare :

" My god, look at you, all terrified like a schoolboy having his first time ! You didn't expect this, did you ? "

Gilli's eyes were so wide Valiant was half afraid they would pop out of his skull. He reddened in mortification when he realized his mistake, stumbling in his haste to get away when the bartender - Merlin, as it appeared - raised a single eyebrow at him, tilting his chin toward the entrance of the hall.

Luckily, the distraction gave Valiant the few seconds he needed to gather his wits. He let a slow smile stretch his lips :

" I must admit " he replied thoughtfully, " that you did surprise me. "

There was no shame in it, he thought, as he had no way of knowing beforehand. Sophia's eyes narrowed at him.

" But it doesn't really matter " Valiant assessed, voice sure in a way it hadn't been for the better part of the evening. " Does it ? "

He smiled, turning back to the bartender, and relished in the way the latter took a step back, skin incredibly pale and sinful lips pressed in a grim line.

" After all, soon Arthur Pendragon will bend the knee, and what belongs to him will become mine. "

Valiant made a show of licking his lips, like a dog who'd just found a bone.

" Soon, you will be mine. "

Before the man could take one more step back, Valiant grabbed a steady hold of his arm, fingers digging into it in a painful grip. This time, he noticed, there was a flicker of fear dancing in the bartender's blue eyes.

" Merlin Emrys " Valiant said, the name obscene as it rolled off his tongue. " I don't care if you're Pendragon's husband. I will have you " he promised. " I'll tie you up if I need to, all spread out for me. Like an offering. "

He leaned in, voice turning into a whisper :

" You'll take my cock so well. You'll scream and scream, begging for me to fuck you harder, to fill you up, to let you come. And you will, you'll come so hard with my seed bursting inside you that you will cry. And I will love every second of it. "

His vow reaped a sound of disgust from both the women's mouth and the brunet turned ashen, muscles in his hand twitching. He looked like he couldn't breathe, desperate to get away, and the sight soothed Valiant's nerves. That would be his greatest victory, Valiant thought. Oh, how he couldn't wait for Pendragon to reappear, tail between his legs as he surrendered his empire to Valiant...

" Let him go. "

The voice was soft, the order unmistakable. Valiant whipped around, neck cracking. His gaze focused on the man that had interrupted him, and whom he had recognized from the inflections of his voice alone. Arthur Pendragon was finally back, his bodyguard in tow, and he was standing tall, shoulders set back in a show of confidence.

His jaw, however, was clenched in anger, and the blue of his eyes betrayed the fury simmering within.

From the corner of his eyes, Valiant saw the couple he'd played with, Morgause and Cenred, sit at the bar, right around the corner, in a way that left them an unaltered view of the scene. Cenred even waved at him, a friendly smile on his lips, and mouthed something that looked suspiciously like _Good luck_.

" I'm afraid I won't " Valiant answered, voice mocking, as he turned back to Arthur. " This is no time to play games, Pendragon. You and I both know that what is yours will soon be mine. Your husband here is merely another clause I'm adding to our...agreement. "

He flashed the blond a smug smile :

" An agreement we both know you can't refuse. "

" As a matter of fact, " Arthur stated with an amused twist of the lips, " you will find out that I can very well refuse it. "

His gaze flickered to one corner of the great hall and an indiscernible frown pulled at his brow, so fleeting that Valiant thought he'd dreamed it. He ploughed on :

" I am afraid that there will be no deal between us, mister Serclier. "

There was such a finality to his words that it took Valiant a few seconds to register what was being said. When he did, his mirth faded like a mist into the wind, leaving him gobsmacked, and it took all of his willpower not to appear stunned as a fish :

" I beg your pardon ? "

" You heard me, " Arthur confirmed, flashing him a teasing smile.

" I would have thought you smarter than that " Valiant managed, displeasure evident in his tone. " I don't know what your lawyer promised you, but she was wrong if she told you not to accept our agreement. "

Arthur Pendragon waved his protest away, his smile turning devious :

" Why would I bother ? Your proposition holds no interest for me. "

Valiant emitted a choked off sound :

" It should, though " he said, feeling himself loose his grasp on the situation and not liking it one bit. " How do you expect your business will hold on, closed off with no access to the sea ? "

" I managed well enough until then, didn't I ? " Arthur remarked. " What makes you believe that I need your permission to sail through your territory ? "

Valiant saw red, dropping his hold on the bartender to more fully face the blond :

" You didn't " he scoffed. " I would have known. Or didn't you hear me when I told you that I _own_ the sea ? "

Arthur flicked his gaze toward Cenred, an unsure look crossing his features. It's only then that Valiant noticed how tense he looked. It was as if he was grasping at straws, waiting for something to happen, anything...to save him ?

As if on cue, there was a sound of hurried footsteps on Valiant's right and another man appeared, that Valiant recognized as the man who was talking to Pendragon's husband the first time he entered the hall. The redhead was tall - taller than Arthur - and had copper curls carefully attached at his nape. His perfectly cut beard gave him a weirdly stern look, but the latter was betrayed by the concern that appeared in his soft grey eyes as he assessed the situation.

Stance rigid, he nodded briskly at Arthur :

" It's done " he said firmly, confirming the success of whatever task he had been ordered to complete.

" Kay ? "

" He's fine " the redhead answered, a ghost of a smile on his lips. " Owain is taking him to Gaius right now. He'll heal. "

Arthur nodded once, all trace of uncertainty vanishing from his features. He exhaled slowly, his stance relaxing into something more subdued, before flashing Valiant a winning smile :

" You see " he started, voice losing its careful edge, " when I first heard of the ships being attacked while passing through your so called territory, I thought it was a joke. I mean, really ? Real life pirates ? "

He tutted, slowly shaking his head from side to side.

" Then I heard about your deal with Helios. Quite an impression you made on that one, I must say, but it's only when I heard of your negotiation with Caerleon that I started to take your threat seriously. "

He shrugged a shoulder :

" I had to, after all, if I didn't want to lose my business. I carefully rearranged every one of my ships so they wouldn't be caught by your pirates. And it worked, much better than I could have hoped for - it's a pity, really, how badly trained your underlings are. "

There was a snort, followed by the slap of a hand on one's mouth, and Valiant knew without a doubt that the sound had come from Cenred.

" But then, a bird whispered sweet words to my ear, about how beautiful the sea was..."

Arthur flashed a smile over the Knight's shoulder, and it stunned Valiant to see the pure affection held within.

" ...and I thought about what one could gain from its control. Deals with foreign businessmen, safe routes, illegal trades..."

He breathed in, watching Valiant square in the face, and smirked.

" And I wondered, if it was so useful...why wouldn't I take the sea for myself ? "

Arthur's smile widened, the promises of his surrender vanishing as if they had never existed. There, in front of his audience, he looked every inch the king depicted in the stories, and Valiant's instinct suddenly screamed at him to get out of the room.

During the years he had spent being a dispensable part of a mafia, Valiant had trained himself to never, under any circumstances, ignore his instinct. It had saved his life too many times to be dismissed. So when he felt the ice cold wave of dread pouring down his spine, he didn't stop to think : he acted.

Valiant knew he had an advantage : Pendragon didn't know he was armed. He would have time to take down a few men if he took them by surprise. As soon as it appeared in his mind, Valiant disposed of the idea. Even with Alvarr protecting him, the security staff would have no difficulty to restrain him, and Valiant could be killed - or worse, sent to jail for the remaining of his days.

If he wanted out, he needed leverage.

Under the light of the new revelations, it was easier to see the regal aura of the King of Camelot. Calculating, cold, ruthless. He wouldn't care about anyone in his immediate vicinity - not to the point of giving in to Valiant's demands in order to save them. Anyone but...

In a swift movement, Valiant grabbed the gun at the small of his back, its weight reassuring in his hand. The touch familiar in a way such weapons never should be, he didn't even trembled as he directed it to the bartender behind him. The dark-haired man gasped...

" Arthur, no ! "

And suddenly there was a cool touch on Valiant's temple, freezing his arm mid-gesture, a click resonating in the sharp silence.

" I don't think this is a good idea " stated an amused voice on his left. " Not if you want to keep your brain intact, that is. "

Valiant's eyes widened as he found out who, exactly, was holding a gun to his head. The scruffy looking drunkard was not sprawled on the table anymore, his arm steady as he pointed at Valiant's head, a shit eating grin on his face. His brown hair was falling on his shoulders, glorious, and his eyes were clear of alcohol.

Now that he was up, Valiant could see the glint of the black pin on his chest.

" Thank you, Gwaine " the bartender, Merlin, breathed out.

" Always watching your back, darling " the man replied with a grin, making a weak smile blossom on Merlin's face.

Of course, Valiant thought, closing his eyes, hard. He had been a fool to expect The Dragon's owner's husband to be unprotected. Of course, _of course_ the man would have his own bodyguard.

Trying to keep at bay the panic twisting his guts, Valiant scoffed, straightening himself to appear more menacing :

" You wouldn't dare shoot me. "

The fake drunkard snorted, gun steady :

" Try me. "

Valiant gritted his teeth. He knew he was being cornered, and didn't have much of a chance to escape. Except...

" Alvarr " he called, the sole name enough of an order.

Obeying without question, his own bodyguard took out his weapon and directed it to Arthur, finger on the trigger. Valiant sighed :

" It appears that we have a problem " he said softly.

He reported his attention back on Arthur, though careful not to move his arm.

" If you really think you can conquer my territory, Pendragon, you're a fool, " he stated, so very gently.

" Oh, but I am most assuredly not " the blond replied, confidence plain in his voice. " Why do you think I made you come here ? "

It took Valiant some effort to talk past the dread feeling his mouth :

" You didn't make me come here " he replied with a sneer. " Ewan's disappearance did. "

Arthur let out a short laugh :

" And what, you think it's a coincidence he vanished the very day I needed him to ? "

Valiant staggered:

" As if I'm the only one you need to worry about " he managed to retort. " There is a reason I came alone. My right hand will take care of everything for me. "

Arthur looked pained at that :

" I don't think he will " he said, voice too soft. " You see, your right hand - Delvin, is that it ? He's been dreaming to double-cross you for ages, he was just to scared to do it. All he needed was a little push in the right direction. "

There was a pregnant pause, and then :

" The Knight of the Western Sea has fallen, mister Serclier. Your kingdom is mine now. "

Rage exploded inside Valiant at the words. Dropping his hold on his gun, he grabbed the bartender by the collar, fist at the ready. He would make them pay, all of them. Pendragon, for having defied him, Sophia, for mocking him still, Cenred, the bartender...

And suddenly there was someone holding him down, face first on the counter, grip hard and unforgiving on the arms twisted behind his back. Valiant tried to struggle free, to no avail : there was a body molded against him in a parody of a lover's embrace, knowing and intimate.

" Don't move " a voice whispered in his ear. " We wouldn't want you to hurt yourself, would we ? "

Valiant froze, stunned beyond belief. Despite not having heard it in months, there was no mistaking the voice, soft and sweet.

" Ewan ? " he called, ice wrapping around his heart. " Is that you ? "

It couldn't be. Ewan was dead, had to be. Arthur Pendragon had him killed. And yet...

" It is me, my Knight " the voice breathed out. " It's been too long. I missed you. "

Valiant sagged in place, like a puppet whose strings had just been cut. The words still ringing in his ears, he let go of everything. For Ewan's presence in the room, free of his movements, _holding him down_ , could only mean one thing.

He had played, had been played, and had lost.

" Right " came a sudden voice on Valiant's right.

From the corner of his eyes, Valiant could see Vivian sigh heavily and turn her head from side to side, making her spine crack softly :

" I see that you have everything covered " she said simply, " so I'm gonna reap my reward and go, okay ? "

From the way his body was angled on the counter, Valiant had a clear enough view on the blonde. The latter stood up, curls cascading on her back, and walked purposefully toward Arthur. Then, in one smooth gesture, she grabbed him by the collar of his red shirt and hauled him up against her, despite looking much weaker than him.

Pendragon's bodyguard turned his eyes away, uncomfortable, as she pressed her mouth to Arthur's, smearing his lips with pink gloss. She kissed him passionately, despite him remaining stoic, eyes opened fixed on his husband, whose lips were twisted in distaste, anger or outrage, Valiant wasn't sure.

After half a minute of unreciprocated touch, she took a step back and smiled brightly. She started to walk away but stopped at the last second, throwing a gobsmacked Sophia a smug look over her shoulder :

" Oh, and Sophia, darling ? Next time you see me playing, please do shut up. "

And with that she stauntered off, her purple dress leaving a mesmerizing trail in her wake, her steps even and purposeful.

A heavy silence fell over the few people who were aware of the scene unfolding before their eyes. Astonishment warring with fear inside his chest, Valiant nearly jumped in place when an abrupt laugh rang in his ears, sharp and stinging with a heady cocktail of mockery and delight.

Turning his head, wincing as Ewan's hold pressed his bent arms further into his back, Valiant saw Cenred, head thrown back, hilarity loud despite the less than amusing situation. Overjoyed, the dark-eyed man started to clap his hands, as if it was the end of a particularly good show he had thoroughly enjoyed :

" Oh, Arthur, Arthur, Arthur " he chanted, shaking his head, eyes crinkled. " You do know how much I love this act about you. "

The blond chuckled at the words, hidden behind Valiant's back.

" Of course I do " he replied. " I did invite you to watch the show, didn't I ? "

" And I thank you so much for that, it was the highlight of my evening " Cenred added. " I wonder, what was it this time ? The playboy, the devoted husband, the arrogant businessman ? "

He seemed genuinely curious as to what was the answer, but waved away any attempt at a reply on Arthur's part :

" Let me guess " he demanded, nearly pleading, " let me guess. "

He pursued his lips, lost in thoughts, and suddenly snapped his fingers :

" I know ! " he exclaimed, looking way too pleased with himself. " It was the boy barely man, wasn't it ? Unable to bear the weight of his father's empire ? Lost, helpless, needing advice and guidance ? "

" Who knows ? " Arthur replied smugly. " You may be right. I'm not sure I remember. "

Cenred's eyes flickered pointedly to Valiant, but a snort brought his attention back on Arthur :

" Well, you're right, this one probably does. I doubt he will tell you about it, though. Might be a tad too humiliating. "

Cenred managed to turn his loud laugh into a cough when his partner glared at him :

" Sorry, my darling, I'm excited is all. Can you really blame me ? My friend here is a remarkable businessman. Truly. "

" You really should stop complimenting people, Cenred " Arthur sighed. " It doesn't suit you. "

There was a smile on his features, amused in a way Valiant had never seen before.

" I take it we have a deal ? "

" Of course, of course " Cenred replied dismissively. " The sea is yours now. We could definitely come to an agreement. But I must admit that I'm not in the mood tonight " he stated, apologetic.

He scrunched his nose, as if sensing an unpleasant smell :

" It reeks of mediocrity, here " he indeed complained. " Can I go ? I'll call you. "

His jab, no doubt addressed to Valiant, made him turn purple under the rush of anger, but he kept his mouth shut, blood pounding. He had been right all along, after all - Cenred was the most dangerous of snakes, and Valiant had fallen right into his trap.

Or was it Arthur's ?

" If you wish " the blond answered. " I still need to deal with this one, after all. "

Uncaring of Valiant's internal turmoil - and where was his pretense of being his friend now ? - Cenred knocked down his drink in one go and stood up :

" And Arthur ? Bring your husband, will you ? "

He flashed the blue-eyed bartender a smile :

" He certainly seem like an interesting man, and I definitely would like to hear more about you two. "

Arthur bowed his head in gracious acceptance :

" Of course. "

As the couple retreated, Morgause flashed a curious smile at Arthur, but Valiant would be damned if he knew what it meant.

***

Once they were well and truly gone, the King of Camelot started to give his orders :

" Perce, please make sure to explain to the clients what happened here " he said, voice soft. " Make up something if need be. A drunk fight, an old grudge, anything to make it believable. I don't want the guns to give them ideas. "

As the giant nodded, moving away, Arthur continued :

" Ewan, Gwaine, please escort mister Serclier and his bodyguard out. I had Elyan alert his sister, so Gwen should be there soon. Wait for her call and don't forget to hand back the pins to Freya, I would hate to see them go to waste. "

There was a chuckle coming from the scruffy looking man, and Valiant was hauled up by Ewan and manhandled away from the counter.

" Leon, go check on Kay, see how he's holding up. "

" It's just a scratch, Arthur " the curly redhead replied, brow furrowing. " He'll be alright. "

" I know " the blond replied. " Just...just go, okay ? "

Understanding suddenly what was the purpose of Arthur's orders, Leon nodded :

" I'll ask Lance to come down " he said, tilting his chin toward the bar. " They'll probably need the help. "

" Thank you " Arthur murmured, voice flat.

Leon nodded again and looked over Valiant's shoulder, mildly concerned :

" You alright, Merlin ? "

" I'm fine " came the bartender's rough reply. " I'll be fine. "

The bearded redhead nodded for the third time, his concern easing, and left. Arthur heaved out a sigh, rubbing a trembling hand over his face :

" Elena ? " he called, too calm, as if he was in the eye of a storm.

As if he was the eye of a storm.

" I'll be fine on my own " was the immediate reply.

It took Valiant a second to identify who was talking : it was the blonde bartender, who had watched them from the beginning.

" You sure, El ? " Merlin insisted.

" Yes. Just go. "

Valiant heard the sharp ringtone of a phone, and the bartender's bodyguard, Gwaine, was the one to answer :

" Yes ? Gwennie, it's you ! "

He winced at the reply he was given, then heaved out a long suffering sigh :

" Yes, DI Guinevere Du Lac. Of course, DI Guinevere Du Lac. We're coming right away. "

Valiant felt Ewan moving behind him, and he matched his steps as he was led, unresisting, out of the premises. Chancing a glance over his shoulder, Valiant watched as Merlin jumped over the wooden counter, his movement surprisingly graceful, before closing in on Arthur in two sure strides.

The last thing Valiant saw before he was forced to exit the great hall was Arthur Pendragon tightly embracing his husband, the clench of his hands on the man's lean frame an obvious show of naked fear, love and relief.

The cold air of the night came as a shock against Valiant's skin as he gulped in lungfuls of it, shivers of shame running over his skin. Never in his life had he lived an experience so humiliating as the one Arthur had pulled him through. Valiant knew he didn't fully understand what had happened yet, too many questions remaining unanswered, but the crux of it was that he had tried to take down an empire, and had failed.

Like a snake trying to attack a dragon, he'd been stamped upon, discarded as a mere annoyance.

Valiant didn't listen as the scruffy bodyguard lead him to three police cars parked in front of The Dragon's entrance, his eyes rather fixed on the officers. There was a black woman there, discussing quietly with Mithian Nemeth, a heavy looking folder tucked under her arm. Two other woman were facing them, and as they turned toward him Valiant recognized Kara and Sefa, the employees that had welcomed him inside, an eternity earlier. Except that now, he understood what the pin on their chest meant : they were both part of the security staff.

Valiant had been fooled, again.

When the four men appeared on the top of the stairs, the black woman approached, her curls bouncing on her shoulders, wearing a grim expression on her face and a hand softly pressed on her round stomach.

" Valiant Serclier " she said carefully. " I am the detective inspector Guinevere Du Lac. I arrest you on the behalf of Camelot's police, and will lead you to our headquarters so you can answer for your numerous crimes. "

" And what would they be ? " Valiant asked, a ghost of his usual smirk on his lips, using his last spark of energy.

" Traffic of drugs and weapons, fraud, torture, rape, murder " the woman enumerated without blinking once.

As she handcuffed him, violently tightening the metal on his wrists, Alvarr was led toward one of the cars, and Valiant noticed Cedric, his driver, at the back of the third vehicle.

Nodding to himself, Valiant turned to Ewan. The man was as beautiful as he'd found him the first time, albeit in a different manner than the bartender. He had dark, curly hair and a chocolate skin, full lips and a three days old stubble ; his arms were crossed over his strong frame, and a grave look was clouding his features, making something sharp twist in Valiant's guts.

He had never loved the man, that was certain, but the betrayal didn't sting any less.

" Why ? " he managed to croak out, tone too rough.

Ewan clenched his fists on his chest, and his jaw worked without proffering any sound. Finally, Valiant was graced with hearing his voice one last time :

" I never wanted this life " Ewan stated simply. " But my mother needed the treatment. You never cared to ask about her ; Arthur Pendragon paid for her medication. She's fine now. "

And then he turned away, leaving Valiant more alone than he had ever been in his life.

Numbness spreading inside him, its coolness blissful against the sting of his failure, Valiant sat inside the police car, Guinevere Du Lac next to him. He looked at the mesmerizing display of lights from the window, then at the castle, then away.

He was done, he thought. Well and truly done. The car drove away, leaving his nightmare behind.

***

It's only later, much later, locked in an interrogation room in front of the black woman, that the memory resurfaced, unbidden, in his mind. Valiant had heard the name once and once only, whispered in abject reverence while he was conducting a deal on the Western Islands.

Reputed to be cold, heartless and cruel, Cenred De Essetir was known all over the world, his name an insult of the worst kind. Specialized in one field and one only, he had disregarded the traffic of drugs and weapons alike in favor of indulging in his favorite business : human trafficking.

And Arthur Pendragon, the very King of Camelot that Valiant had tried to take down, had conquered an entire territory with the sole purpose of offering Cenred a deal.

Valiant had never stood a chance.

**Author's Note:**

> Warning : Mentions of human trafficking.
> 
> As I know absolutely nothing about poker, some of you may have noticed that the poker scene is entirely inspired by the last hand in the Bond movie Casino Royale.
> 
> I also plan to write a companion piece to this work, which would be a "behind the curtains" fic.
> 
> Thank you for reading !


End file.
